Syrian Drought Fund approves 112 million pounds for farmers

The board of directors of the Drought and Natural Disaster Mitigation Fund has approved approximately 112 million Syrian pounds in compensation for roughly 1,700 farmers across the Aleppo, Idlib, Quneitra, and Tartus governorates.

The payouts address damages caused by extreme weather events during the early months of the year, including heavy rainfall, flooding, strong winds, and sea dragon effects in Tartus. The Ministry of Agriculture stated that this decision marks the first time compensation has been extended to these specific four governorates.

In Quneitra, the approved funds specifically cover losses attributed to rainfall and flooding. However, the decision does not explicitly address or include compensation for agricultural lands damaged by pesticide spraying by the Israeli military, leaving questions regarding whether those specific losses are being evaluated through a separate process.

The Ministry is currently working to complete compensation files for farmers in Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Hasakah. Efforts are also underway to transition from emergency response to a proactive prevention approach, which includes dredging irrigation canals and improving agricultural guidance to help farmers select crops better suited to flood-prone areas.