Drought, conflict, and water blockades devastate agriculture in Southern Syria

One of Syria's important food granaries, the southern region of the country, has become agriculturally unsustainable due to drought, climate change, Israel's interference with water resources, and years of ongoing conflict. The Dera province and the Yarmouk Basin in southern Syria, known as the country's food storehouse, are experiencing a collapse in agricultural production due to drought and war. National rainfall for 2024-2025 has dropped to less than a third of the average, causing dams to dry up, groundwater depletion, and the destruction of agricultural lands, leaving farmers helpless. Meanwhile, after the fall of the Baath regime, Israel took control of the dams in Quneitra and cut off water supplies to the dams in Dera, severely limiting irrigation opportunities for farmers. The decrease in rainfall combined with Israeli interference led to the complete drying up of the Cubeyliyye, Abidin, and Sahamü'l-Cevlan dams in Dera. Farmer Mahmoud Suwaydani from rural Dera described the hardships faced as their livelihoods dry up one by one. He stressed that the lands he has lived on since childhood are now barren and in urgent need of rehabilitation. He also accused the regime of converting farmland into military zones by digging up fields after displacing civilians. He added that there has been no rain, no irrigation canals, and the existing resources are too expensive. He pointed out that dams have no water, lands are neglected, and regime forces have damaged agricultural areas. 'Farmers have suffered huge losses. Rebuilding fertilizer, fuel, and irrigation infrastructure has become impossible. Due to drought, fields in the Yarmouk Basin cannot be cultivated,' he said. Commenting on farmers' plight, Suwaydani noted, 'Farmers are the weakest link.' Agricultural engineer Muhammad Hrayba from Dera Water Directorate stated, 'Syria, especially the Horan region, has experienced severe drought. This year's rainfall barely reached a third of the average.' He said wheat production has 'hit rock bottom,' and that rain-fed fields have become almost completely unproductive. Vegetable cultivation is also discouraged due to very low water levels in the dams. Hrayba explained that most irrigation dams in Dera depend heavily on water from Quneitra, but these dams have fallen below critical levels. Hrayba described the impact of drying wells on agriculture: 'There is a major crisis with wells; 60-70% are out of service. Around 50% of agricultural land cannot be farmed. The Assad regime has turned large areas into military zones and mined them, making agriculture impossible. It will take many years to clear and restore these lands.' He emphasized that Israel blocks water flowing from occupied Quneitra and the Golan Heights into the Yarmouk Basin, deepening the crisis. 'Using vertical drilling machines, Israel draws underground water to its own territory,' Hrayba said, adding that horizontal drilling accelerates this flow, causing a significant drop in water levels in the region. He also said Israel prevents the opening of new wells along the border and targets well-drilling activities. Some fish farms have also been shut down after the Israeli occupation, further hurting agricultural and livestock production. Hrayba said they advise farmers strategically: 'Water security is more important than food security. That's why we recommend cultivating certain crops. Every drop of water must be conserved.'

Drought, conflict, and water blockades devastate agriculture in Southern Syria

Severe drought, conflict, and Israeli interference have devastated agriculture in southern Syria's key food-producing regions, leaving farmers struggling as water resources dwindle and farmland is destroyed.