The Welthungerhilfe Syria Team (WHH) successfully launched the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2024 Report in collaboration with GIZ and Northwest Syria Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster (FSL Cluster). The event took place on 28 January 2025 in Gaziantep, Turkey, gathering approximately 60 participants from local and international NGOs, clusters, and local authorities. The discussions provided a platform to reflect on key challenges and opportunities for food systems in Syria, particularly in the current transitional period.
The event began with a presentation of the GHI 2024 Report by the Senior Policy Advisor for Global Hunger Index at WHH Head Office, followed by an overview of humanitarian needs and response mechanisms by the FSL Cluster. REACH shared their findings on the post-harvest assessment of strategic crops, wheat and barley. GIZ, together with its local partners (AMAL, IHSAN, MASSRAT), presented ongoing activities aimed at strengthening the resilience of local agri-food systems, with a particular focus on olive value chains, potato production, and local seed preservation and multiplication.
A thought-provoking panel discussion also took place with experts from the Aid Fund for Northern Syria (AFNS), FAO, FSL Cluster, GIZ, Shafak and WHH. The experts provided insights on the main challenges for food security in Northwest Syria, the potential benefits of a food systems approach during the ongoing transition, coordination challenges for food security and livelihoods interventions as well as the role of international support to facilitate challenges in the local response and the role of local organizations and communities in achieving food security. The panel also discussed how to bridge short-term and long-term interventions and the key challenges and opportunities of such a transition. Furthermore, the expert panel highlighted the importance of social inclusion in building new systems in the country, with a specific focus on gender considerations within food systems.
Key Messages from the Launch
The main takeaway from the discussions during the launch was the importance of transitioning from emergency food assistance to long-term food systems development. Interventions must be inclusive, ensuring the participation of all community members taking into account gendered dynamics. Sustainable food systems in Syria depend on boosting livestock and agricultural production and ensuring equitable access to resources such as land and seeds. Agricultural land decontamination and demining should also be given a top priority to allow farmers to access the lands to start farming activities in the contaminated areas.
It is also important to emphasize that food systems development must go beyond production and focus on processing, market linkages, policies and regulations, and governance structures. Utilizing the existing local knowledge and resources is essential to increasing self-sufficiency and reducing reliance on external aid. Rebuilding vital infrastructure along food supply chains should be a priority during the transitional phase to guarantee that farmers have access to necessary resources. Research and local knowledge should also be used to promote the production and preservation of high-quality agricultural inputs.
Beyond production, recovery efforts must strengthen local markets and support activities across the entire food system from processing and storage to marketing, distribution, and consumption. Rural economy diversification will improve service delivery, social well-being, and marginalized people's inclusion. Creating agricultural and non-agricultural job opportunities will contribute to economic stability and social innovation.
Now is the time to transition from crisis response to resilience strengthening, ensuring that communities can rebuild their futures with sustainable food systems at the core of recovery efforts.
