Syria: WFP chief calls for action now, as

hunger soars to 12 year high

The head of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), speaking in Damascus, has called
on the world to boost investment in Syria’s people and communities to help ease the
highest levels of hunger in 12 years.
WFP Executive Director, David Beasley, said that if we don’t address this humanitarian
crisis, “things are going to get worse than we can possibly imagine”.

Following 12 years of brutal conflict, an economy crippled by runaway inflation, a

currency that has collapsed to a record low and soaring food prices, 12 million
people do not know where their next meal is coming from, said WFP.

A further 2.9 million people are at risk of sliding into hunger, which means 70 per cent
of the population may soon be unable to put food on the table for their families.

New migration wave?

“Another wave of mass migration like the one that swept across Europe in 2015 – is
that what the international community wants?”, said Mr. Beasley.

“If not, we must urgently seize this opportunity to avert the looming catastrophe and
work together to bring peace and stability to the Syrian people.”

The WFP chief is on his fifth trip to Syria during his time in charge, and visited Al
Nashabiyah subdistrict in Duma in East Ghouta, Rural Damascus.

Once known as the breadbasket for Damascus, East Ghouta and its fruit orchards were
heavily bombarded between 2013 and 2018 and its residents largely displaced. During
this period, WFP was only able to reach the area through three interagency convoys.

Self-reliance: the key

Since then, the agency’s started to help farmers and the community by fixing some of
the irrigation canals that were destroyed during the conflict to help them grow wheat
and other food so that they can feed themselves once more.

“WFP is working to irrigate nearly 28,000 hectares of land across the country, enough to
feed 620,000 people here. That means less hunger, more economic opportunity, and a
stronger local economy”, said Mr. Beasley.
“The $14 million investment will save $50 million per year in humanitarian assistance,
and create nearly 90,000 jobs,” he added. “In a nation where around 85 per cent of
WFP’s spend goes on humanitarian food assistance, that’s a huge saving. But we need
to scale up these investments to boost the resilience of other food-insecure
communities across Syria.”