Without Assad, Syria is ripe for a new crop of farming investment

Relying solely on international markets far away from home is risky

January 3, 2025, 2:50 PM

A field technician working on a durum wheat breeding project. Jabal, a new drought-resistant variety of durum wheat, is an opportunity for Syrian farmers farming — A field technician working on a durum wheat breeding project by the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas. Jabal, a new drought-resistant variety, is an opportunity for Syrian farmers

Food security is one of the Gulf region’s major challenges. During a time of climate change, water scarcity and global supply chain bottlenecks, the GCC must constantly observe food markets to ensure its resilience.

Syria, one of the region’s most important traditional agricultural producers, now presents a new and valuable farming opportunity following the collapse of the Assad regime.

With a farming potential of about 6.5 million hectares, Syria’s croppable area lies between those of the UK (6.1 million) and Italy (7.2 million). In other words, a sizeable agricultural producer may be returning to the world market – but it needs investment.

About 20 percent of the Syrian workforce is employed in the agricultural sector, despite 50 percent of rural populations having migrated since 2011. The war and global sanctions have hit the agricultural industry hard.

Syrian farmers continued to mine groundwater heavily during the war beyond the replenishment rate. This was partly because of recurring droughts, which hit the country’s eastern plains particularly hard.

Infrastructure such as irrigation systems, greenhouses, heavy machinery and livestock farms need at least $16 billion to upgrade to modern levels.

Turki Faisal Al Rasheed, a Saudi businessman and academic, has coined the term “social agriculture” to describe investing in rural economies to improve outcomes and local livelihoods.

His concept suggests that GCC donors should provide capital to small farmers to help them produce more and better by allowing them to invest in essentials such as irrigation, greenhouses and agricultural equipment.

Farming in Syria: farmers will benefit from investment to allow them to purchase more modern equipment — Farmers in Syria will benefit from investment to allow them to purchase more modern equipment

Social agriculture is a sensible soft power option for Gulf donors as it can help to stabilise rural economies and ameliorate climate change. It can also lead to improved production of crops, such as fruit and vegetables, which become available for export to the GCC.

Over time, better technology and supply chain management, such as improved cooling infrastructure to reduce food loss, can increase yields.

Syrian farmers need marketing training and better crop choices. This can then strengthen trading links between Syria and the GCC. In 2022, Syria exported commodities worth only $52 million to the UAE. Agricultural goods account for about 80 percent of all trade. This figure can be expanded.

New seed varieties

One crop in Syria that has a traditional advantage is durum wheat. It is mainly found in pasta but is also consumed as bulgur or freekeh, which have a low glycemic index – that is, they are not big lifters of blood sugar levels.

This is especially important for GCC countries, where as many as one-third of the population either has diabetes or pre-diabetes. Promoting the consumption of traditional Arab foods could contribute to tackling the region’s diabetes crisis.

Researchers at the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas have successfully created a new drought-resistant variety of durum wheat, named Jabal. This cross-breed between durum wheat and goatgrass was initially developed for the Moroccan market but it also represents a big opportunity for Syrian farmers.

A future government must work with donors and investors to reach out to farmers to help them adopt new seed varieties such as Jabal, which can survive longer periods of drought. Agriculture can develop as a major export earner for Syria.

As the GCC states contemplate an age of climate change and trade wars, food supply chains are likely to come under further pressure. Relying solely on international markets far away from home is risky.

The GCC can invest regionally in putting more eggs in different baskets.

If Gulf capital is made available for Syria’s farming industry, it will help war-torn Syrians and boost GCC food resilience. An agricultural sector the size of Syria’s rarely becomes available for investment.

Martin Keulertz is a lecturer in environmental management at the University of the West of England, Bristol