Syrian farmers hope lifting sanctions will revive agriculture

Bangkok Post Group

Severe drought in Syria this year could lead to the failure of an estimated 75% of local wheat crops and threaten the food security of people, including wheat farmers like Asaad Ezzeldin. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00Severe drought in Syria this year could cause three-quarters of its wheat crops to fail.

00:06That's according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO.

00:11But last week, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would order the lifting of all sanctions on

00:16Syria, raising farmers' hopes. In order to give them a chance at greatness.

00:21We are anticipating a kind of food gap, food shortage of 2.7 million tons of wheat for this year.

00:34Tony Etel, the FAO's Syria representative, said the flow of funds could revive the agriculture sector.

00:40This is indeed helping the agricultural sector for an improved production

00:45through the access of technology that can help in better use and efficient use of the water resources.

00:54Wheat farmers like Asad Azzeddin have seen their crops fail due to the drought.

01:00He says, quote, it did not rain at all. Shepherd Jasim Abu Mohammed faces a similar dilemma.

01:09He is worried that farmers may not be able to support their families during droughts.

01:13Syria's agricultural sector was severely damaged by fighting and heavy bombardment during 13 years

01:20of civil war. Now, drought has worsened the situation. Damascus depended on wheat imports

01:26from Russia to support a bread subsidy program in the past. But Moscow suspended its supplies to Syria

01:32soon after Islamist rebels toppled former President Bashar al-Assad. Unable to buy wheat and fuel,

01:39Syria's new government lobbied for a lifting of US sanctions, which for years isolated the Syrian

01:45economy and made it dependent on Russia and Iran. The EU has eased sanctions related to energy,

01:52transport and reconstruction and associated financial transactions. However, some have argued that this is

01:59not enough to support Syria's political transition and economic recovery.

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