Fires, climate crisis push Syrian Coast agriculture to the brink
Shafaq News – Damascus
Syrian farmlands on the Mediterranean coast are under growing strain from recurrent wildfires, climate shifts, and weak agricultural policies, putting at risk the primary income of thousands of families, according to local and UN reports.
More than 10,000 hectares of forests and crops have been destroyed in recent blazes, which also damaged electricity infrastructure and forced over 1,100 residents to flee as flames spread into populated areas.
The UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) estimates that 40,000 hectares of farmland across Syria have turned to desert in the past decade, with much of the loss concentrated in the coastal region due to deforestation, overgrazing, fires, and soil degradation.
Environmental experts also note that green cover in the area has shrunk by about 30 percent over ten years, driven by tree-cutting for heating and the absence of effective environmental regulations. The decline has cut directly into agricultural productivity and crop variety.
Adding to the challenge, younger generations are moving away from farming, leaving plots idle or selling them while pursuing trade or migration, raising deeper concerns about the sector’s sustainability.
In response, the Agriculture Ministry in Damascus convened a workshop that recommended forming a technical committee to design an emergency reforestation and rehabilitation plan for fire-hit areas.
Agriculture specialist Samer Nasr told Shafaq News the sector faces “a dual threat of climate change and mismanagement,” stressing the need for immediate replanting to prevent permanent desertification. He added that soaring input costs are driving further decline, underscoring the urgency of direct subsidies and incentives for sustainable farming.
Experts warn that without urgent reforestation, farmer support, and stronger resource management, agriculture in the Syrian coast risks losing its role as one of the country’s key food sources.
