Special report

Erratic weather conditions across most of the Syrian regions, especially in the main cereal producing areas of the country in 2021 raised the need for an assessment based on well-established and recognized criteria to produce crop estimates comparable with previous assessments. In response to the request by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to conduct an analysis of the agricultural production in the 2020/21 crop season, in light of critical weather conditions, difficult economic environment exacerbated by other challenges, the FAO carried out an independent Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) to estimate the 2021 cereal production, to assess the overall situation of the agricultural sector and to gauge prospects for the upcoming 2021/22 season. Given the travel restrictions, the mission relied on the network of resilience officers employed by the FAO Country Office that have detailed knowledge of local agricultural conditions and agro-ecological zones based across the different governorates. The field information collection took place between June and July 2021. Information was also provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform (MAAR) and several other relevant ministries and state bodies as well as by provincial departments of agriculture