iMMAP - Wheat Value Chain Assessment in Northwest Syria - November 2022

Introduction

Wheat is the most critical food crop in Syria, as it is essential to the production of bread that is the primary staple food in the country. Since 2011, multiple humanitarian actors have been providing wheat production support and flour assistance procured in the region and inside Syria, and cash and voucher assistance. The consequent conflict events, loss of agricultural institutions, inflation, increase in fuel price, currency depreciation, shortage of manpower due to low wages, and high frequency of extreme weather events like floods, frost, and drought scenarios, and the introduction of imported flour are all major factors in diminishing returns from the local production of wheat. Many farmers in Syria have abandoned wheat production and switched to cash crops in the face of various challenges limiting the farmer's capacity for wheat crop production.

Study Objectives

  1. Understand the current challenges and opportunities facing wheat crop producers in the NWS region.
  2. Explore sources of wheat production inputs including wheat seed, and other agricultural inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fuel, in addition to the harvesting cost and agriculture extension service support …etc.)
  3. Study price trends of the different sources of wheat seeds, wheat flour and agricultural inputs.
  4. Explore the wheat-to-flour trading norms, and the effect of imported flour on local wheat production.
  5. Understand opportunities and inefficiencies in the current system that are hindering market actors within the wheat value chain from sustaining their agribusiness and livelihood.
  6. Identify leverage points along the wheat value chain that have potential in strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of local wheat production across the NWS region.
  7. Understand the role of different stakeholders and market actors (NGOs, Syrian Publishment Establishment of Grain (SPEG), and General Organization of Seeds Multiplication (GOSM)) in the wheat market system.
  8. Identify the main potential interventions that address the marketing gaps.

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