Working with and for
the people
Until a decade ago, Syria was a wonderful country, its age-old culture shining in so many ancient monuments, in the kindness and hospitality of the Syrians and in their ability to get things done. In a few days, it will be the tenth anniversary of an untenable war that has displaced millions of people and caused destruction and starvation. The war has created vulnerability, especially among women, now all too often the only breadwinners of their families. Our intervention has always been addressed to rural communities, regardless of their ethnicity and where they lived. We are convinced that reducing discrimination against people who live in different Syrian areas is the most crucial step in reducing migration to other countries. Since the start, we have given priority to those most in need, women, especially widows, and large families; always serving the neediest. Listening to the voices of rural communities, defining what to do with them and, above all, working with them to improve the situation of Syrian agriculture is the basis of our interventions. We have always believed that the starting point for reducing its dependence on humanitarian aid is to help Syrians increase crops and livestock production to produce more food for local communities.
In addition, our interventions aim to develop the circular economy and local markets; thus, the purchase of goods and materials directly in Syria generates industries and services related to agriculture and the local economy in general. The operational and financial co-responsibility of Syrians participating in our interventions is one of our pillars. These substantial efforts in collaboration with the local Syrian civil society actors have fostered reconciliation between communities of different ethnicities and religions by increasing dialogue, work, and economic exchanges.
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Luigi Cavestro
MENA Regional Manager, CIHEAM Bari
Continuous support
As the unfolding Syrian crisis is about to complete its 11th year, undermining the beauty, history and society of what has been thought of as the cradle of thousands years old civilization, since 2011, more than 6.6 million Syrian refugees worldwide and more than 6.7 million internally displaced persons, majority of Syrians have lost all of their belongings under harsh circumstances, their dignity under extreme poverty.
As a Development Program, we have been engaged in the north of Syria since 2014, with seven years of activities involved in building resilience, finding solutions to agricultural problems, increasing food security, and reducing poverty and unemployment. Care and priority have always been given to people most at risk, including women and vulnerable groups.
Hence, cultivable land is all that has been left for Syrians in rural communities. With the program, we supported thousands of families and farmers, helping them return to work their land. Likewise, we have reinforced women on their way to empowerment, creating the environment for the development of small-scale businesses. These activities have proved to increase the likelihood of our beneficiaries remaining in their homeland, resisting the compelling desire to migrate outside Syria, thus avoiding the pain and suffering as well support other cities through providing food and find job opportunities.
We have been providing agricultural inputs to support plant production, rehabilitation of veterinary services, and capacity building for the Syrian technicians through our assistance. Many of our technicians have had the pivotal role of assisting the farmers and breeders in food production and animal health, increasing their know-how and providing extension service and mentoring.
We are humbled by the fact that hundreds of women have been empowered vocationally. We hope to continue our mission of achieving national food security and healthy nutrition through increased agricultural production.
Dr. Ziad Al Chami
Project Manager