Food Security and Livelihoods Assessment Southern Syria RFSAN Remittances Internally Receive 1,212 Displaced 21 87 Al-Hasakeh % food aid % Interviews Persons Aleppo Ar-Raqqa Lattakia Idleb Livestock Female Military Hama Deir-ez-Zor Tartous Key 63 headed 12 informants households % Subdistricts 19 Homs covered 22 Damascus Rural Damascus Average Quneitra Focus Group Dara As-Sweida Discussions 25 HH size 6.5 Main incomes Introduction Agriculture 10.4 Highlights engagement % In August 2015, FAO, CARE, NRC and their local partners inside Syria ran RFSAN Local economy has collapsed or suffered an assessment in order to collect information on the food security and heavily in all surveyed areas. Livestock 23 livelihood situation in the opposition-held areas of the Governorates of engagement % RFSAN Livelihoods in many areas have been Dar’a and Quneitra (southern Syria). The survey objective was to assess destroyed or damaged. the food security and livelihood situation in order to better understand RFSAN People are heavily reliant on food aid and the impact of the crisis, and subsequent needs. coping strategies. Education The survey focused on data collection at the household level with RFSAN The food security situation may not appear additional qualitative information focused on farmers, livestock herders critical at this stage but this is due to University 18.2% and small business owners. dependency on food aid. Secondary 27.3% The survey area primarily covered the two agro-ecological zones with Recommendations Primary 39.6% the highest rainfall levels. These zones were used for the sample targeting RFSAN Research alternative modalities that can Vocational 3.1% in order to respect the climatic differences within the target area. help support the local economy such as Informal 0.9% Though effort was made to ensure a statistically relevant sample, access vouchers or cash. None 10.8% issues related to ongoing conflict played a significant role in identifying cluster locations for the surveys. RFSAN Improve access to agricultural inputs, processing facilities and markets to improve In the following pages you will find the main findings of this assessment. the economy and stimulate growth. RFSAN Invest in alternative sources of energy (wind) and consider alternative agricultural farming systems such as conservation 1 RFSANfarming. Zone Situation Overview East Zone West 20.1% 79.9% 70 % 30% A More rainfall Urban Rural Urban Rural Less rainfall B Zone A is surrounded by occupied parts of Quneitra in the West, Jordan in Zone B is wedged between government-controlled parts of Dar’a in the West and the South and government-controlled areas in the North and East. The Swayda in the East. The Southern border to Jordan closed in mid-2015, leaving the main urban centre is Nawa, which had a population of 60’000 people before only official border crossing at Ramtha for purley humanitarian convoys relating to the start of the crisis. UN Resolution 2191. The main urban center is Dar'a city, which had a population of over 100,000 prior to the crisis. This is where the first uprising in 2011 took place against the regime in Syria. ! Traditionally more focused on Bait Jan Less reliant on agriculture ! Sa'sa' agriculture and livestock due to ! Rural Higher incomes higher precipitation levels Khan Damascus Arnaba Ghabagheb ! ! Includes Dar’a city, the main urban Income substantially lower Quneitra Masmiyyeh . ! centre of both governorates As-Sanamayn Households are larger (! Little ! Sura Ongoing conflict around Dar'a city Main contested areas are in the Quneitra Jasim! between Opposition and Govern- Dara North around As Sanamayn and Kafr- Nawa Ariqa Shaqa ment forces ! Izra' ! ! (! Shahba Shams. Tassil Sheikh (! ! !Miskine Higher population density Mazra'a Low population density Ash-Shajara! ! - Sijn Mashnaf !Da'el Kherbet Hrak ! ! ! Mzeireb As-Sweida ! Ghazala . Mseifra D.ar'a ! As-Sweida Av. Size Av. Size Jizeh ! Busra Qarayya of farms of farms Dara ú ! Esh-Sham Milh 84% 16% ! Salkhad ! % 1,324 dn Nasib ú (! 79% 31 6,963 dn Thibeen 1 dunum = 0.1 hectare 1 dunum = 0.1 hectare Rainfed Irrigated ! Rainfed Irrigated Areas Gharyeh Areas ! Areas Areas Remittances Remittances Average Average Average Average 29,000 55,000 income 5.8 HH size HH size 7.1 income SYP No No SYP Income Income Internally Internally Head of Head of Displaced Top 3 income 20 Displaced 22 HH with 20 HH with % % Livestock sources 10 Persons Persons disability % Military % disability Primary Income Earner Female Female headed 21 Livestock 79% 85% Livestock headed % 35 24 13 households Engagement % % Engagement % households 17% 9% University Agriculture University 17 5% Agriculture Degree % Engagement 15 3% 5 5 Degree % % Engagement % 2 <1% <1% Zone Effects of the Crisis Zone A B Average 75 FCS 60 East West General Crisis Effects for Average 14 CSI 6 the two zones 20.1% 79.9% 70 % 30% General Main livelihood Urban Rural Urban Rural needs Coping Strategies Zone A Spent Savings Energy/Fuel Borrowing money Food Water Food on Credit Zone B Crop Livestock challenges challenges Fuel unavailable /expensive Vet services are Herd Sizes too expensive Higher food consumption scores and less dependent on 2.8 1.6 emergency coping strategies Cattle Inputs unavailable Feed is too 26 33.7 /expensive expensive Sheep 20 13.5 Lack of water Poultry No water for /irrigation Boys in militias livestock 4 3 Goats 7 Main Findings Recommendations Focus on livelihood interventions People rely much on food aid (90 percent!) and coping strategies Support services and better governance Food security situation not critical when looking at key food secu- Agriculture and small businesses have been heavily affected resulting in a number rity indicators of people shifting occupations. It is important to focus on developing capacities and supporting local initiatives to help stimulate the local economy and build resilience. Vulnerable households are more affected by the crisis Promote local economic cycles Households are more than twice as often engaged in livestock than By facilitating improved access to agricultural inputs, processing facilities and mar- growing food crops kets, the heavily affected rural economy can be improved and growth can be gener- ated. Alternative energy and input sources can assist in addressing high fuel and Local economy has collapsed or suffered heavily in all surveyed input prices, along with limited access. Voucher programs should also be consid- areas ered as a potential alternative to over-depenence on food aid and could also assist Livelihoods in many areas have been destroyed or lost in further stimulating the local economy. Keep monitoring changes On-site and remote monitoring needs to be considered. The situation is fragile as the conflict and its borders are dynamic. There are regular major movements of NOTE: IDPs that need support. Seasonal changes have a strong effect on the people’s situa- tion. A complimentary EMMA - Emergency Market Mapping Analysis was conducted in Dar'a and Quneitra that investigates food and input markets throughout the various chains. A summary of the EMMA findings should be read together with this brochure. Produced by: 4.