Syria’s Agriculture Minister to Enab Baladi: Ministry adopts “smart support”

Syrian Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Amjad Badr said the ministry’s support policy is not based on direct subsidies, noting that it relies instead on what he called “smart support” to help farmers.

Responding to a question from an Enab Baladi correspondent, the minister said the support provided to farmers is linked to in-kind loans offered by the Agricultural Cooperative Bank, particularly for fertilizers and seeds.

Badr said the smart support policy is directed toward productive agricultural sector institutions in the areas of seed and fertilizer provision, services, and fees imposed on agricultural inputs, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and the relevant bodies.

Speaking to journalists after the 41st Cotton Conference, held in Aleppo on Thursday, March 26, Badr said this indirect support would be directly reflected in farmers’ conditions.

For his part, the director of the Cotton Office at the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Mohammed Maari, said the ministry’s support is limited to providing seeds at a reduced price, while fertilizers and the rest of the production inputs fall outside the ministry’s current approach.

Regarding the cotton crop, Maari added that the ministry would support farmers by offering a good, rewarding, and sufficient price that covers production costs with a profit margin.

Lack of support

Farmers interviewed by Enab Baladi in rural Aleppo complained about the lack of support, or its arrival in very limited quantities, through organizations concerned with supporting the agricultural sector, while government support has been absent.

Syria’s agricultural sector has suffered a decline in recent years as a result of the war, farmers’ migration, and the reluctance of some to continue farming as they shifted to other commercial or industrial sectors due to declining returns.

2025-2026 strategy

By contrast, the Ministry of Agriculture said in a report issued on March 5 that last February saw the launch of the “National Strategy for Agriculture 2026-2030,” describing it as a “pivotal step” in rebuilding the agricultural sector, strengthening food security, and laying the foundations for sustainable recovery.

In turn, Minister Badr discussed with the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Syria, Nathalie Fustier, ways to support efforts to revive agriculture and enable displaced farmers to return to their land. He stressed the need to rehabilitate agricultural infrastructure, support productive projects, and expand the implementation of modern irrigation systems, according to the ministry’s report.

The strategy represents a roadmap for rebuilding the agricultural sector as a key pillar of the national economy and a foundation of food security, with a focus on supporting livelihoods, rehabilitating infrastructure, developing rural areas, empowering rural women, and strengthening institutional partnerships, according to the ministry.

With the World Food Programme

On December 14, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture signed a cooperation agreement with the World Food Programme (WFP) to enhance agricultural production in Syria.

The ministry’s media office previously told Enab Baladi that the agreement comes within the framework of reviving Syria’s agricultural sector, strengthening rural livelihoods, and reinforcing national food security systems as a core pillar of economic recovery and social stability through planning, implementation, and oversight.

The office explained that the agreement aims to enable the Ministry of Agriculture to lead policy direction and supervise implementation, ensuring that the joint interventions contribute to achieving long-term results in resilience and food security for Syrians.

According to the media office, the Ministry of Agriculture and the World Food Programme agreed to cooperate within the scope and terms set out in the memorandum of understanding.

The memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation led by the Ministry of Agriculture and supported by the World Food Programme, to strengthen livelihoods in the agricultural sector, improve food security, and increase resilience to climate change across Syria.

The contribution of Syria’s agricultural sector to gross domestic product has declined to 12%, while its share of employment has dropped to 15%, according to figures announced by former Agriculture Minister in the interim Damascus government, Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad, on December 27, 2024.

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