In brief
Syria is currently experiencing its most severe drought in 36 years, leading to a significant decline in wheat harvests and exacerbating an already dire food crisis. With nearly 90% of the population living in poverty, farmers like Maher Haddad report devastating crop failures, while millions of families struggle to afford basic sustenance. The situation is worsened by an estimated wheat shortfall of 2.73 million tonnes, intensifying hunger across the country. International aid efforts are underway, but the long-term sustainability of agriculture in Syria remains uncertain as the nation prays for rain.
The wheat fields outside Seqalbia, near the Syrian city of Hama, should be golden and heavy with grain.
Instead, Maher Haddad's 40 dunums (10 acres) are dry and empty, barely yielding a third of their usual harvest.
This year was disastrous due to drought, said the 46-year-old farmer, reflecting on the land that cost him more to sow than it gave back.
His fields delivered only 190kg (418 lbs) of wheat per dunum - far below the 400-500kg he relies on in a normal year.
We haven't recovered what we spent on agriculture; we've lost money. I can't finance next year and I can't cover the cost of food and drink, Mr Haddad told the BBC.
With two teenage daughters to feed, he is now borrowing money from relatives to survive.
Mr Haddad's struggle is echoed across Syria, where the worst drought in 36 years has slashed wheat harvests by 40% and is pushing a country - where nearly 90% of the population already lives in poverty - to the brink of a wider food crisis.
A report from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates Syria will face a wheat shortfall of 2.73m tonnes this year, equivalent to the annual dietary needs for 16.25 million people.
Without more food aid or the ability to import wheat, Syria's hunger crisis is set to worsen dramatically, warned Piro Tomaso Perri, FAO's senior programme officer for Syria.
Food insecurity could reach unprecedented levels by late 2025 into mid-2026, he said, noting that more than 14 million Syrians - six in 10 people - are already struggling to eat enough. Of those, 9.1 million face acute hunger, including 1.3 million in severe conditions, while 5.5 million risk sliding into crisis without urgent intervention.
The same report showed rainfall has dropped by nearly 70%, crippling 75% of Syria's rain-fed farmland.
Wheat is a staple crop in Syria, essential for bread and pasta, making the lack of supply a pressing issue. Families reliant on wheat for basic sustenance are feeling the pinch, with prices skyrocketing, making even bread unaffordable for many.
Sanaa Mahamid, a widow and mother of six, shared her struggles with rising bread prices, stating, Sometimes we borrow money just to buy bread.
The interim government is facing these challenges head-on. International agencies like the UN World Food Programme are working alongside the government to provide subsidies, but aid officials emphasize that this is only a temporary fix.
As farming families sell livestock and reduce meal sizes, malnutrition among children and pregnant women is on the rise. Farmers need support and innovation in irrigation to survive—a challenge amidst the ongoing political instability and previous conflict damages.
For many, the only hope in the face of this climate crisis is an urgent need for rain, as millions in Syria wait anxiously for their land to recover.
