03-01-2022 | di COOPI

Syria. With OCHA, food security for 8,000 people ensured

Food vouchers, poultry, irrigation nets, seeds, agricultural tools and training. This is what COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale provided to 8,000 inhabitants of Rural Damascus, thanks to the project, "Agriculture recovery and cash-based intervention to strengthen resilience and food security among most vulnerable households in Southern Syria", funded by OCHA and carried out in partnership with SARC, between October 2020 and December 2021.

In the last months of the project COOPI completed the distribution of the last round of food vouchers through which 654 of the most vulnerable people were supported.

COOPI's Head of Mission Gordana Vucinic explains:

"Post-monitoring statements from the beneficiaries showed that the intervention had a very positive impact. Food vouchers, in fact, promote direct access to food and restore the dignity of the beneficiary community, which chooses the food products it needs to cover the food gap".

During the month of October, COOPI supported 450 families (about 2,385 members), through the distribution of 450 drip irrigation nets sufficient to irrigate 800 m2 of land, as well as 10 types of summer and winter seeds, agricultural tools and fertilizers. In addition, the beneficiaries received more than 9 days of specific training including topics on how to install the irrigation net, compost, plant.

In the last weeks of October, COOPI carried out the distribution of poultry kits for 250 families in Hama and 640 families in Dar'a Governorates - a total of 4,968 people -, as poultry is a highly needed source of protein for families with children. The poultry kit consisted of 14 chickens, 150 kg of fodder and 1 litre of vitamins, as well as free veterinary support and training on poultry farming.

According to the Humanitarian Needs Overview 2020, the food security situation in Syria has deteriorated compared to the previous year, with alarming increases in the number of people suffering from severe food insecurity, loss of livelihoods and high levels of poverty.

The project "Agriculture recovery and cash-based intervention to strengthen resilience and food security among most vulnerable households in Southern Syria " aims to improve people's food security through life-saving food assistance and household livelihood support. In order to build the resilience of the beneficiaries, training sessions are planned on composting and fertiliser application, irrigation management, reducing post-harvest losses and poultry farming.