Food Assistance Fact Sheet - Syria

Map of Syria

September 21, 2017

 

Situation

  • The UN estimates that 13.5 million people inside Syria are currently in need of humanitarian assistance. Of those, 9 million are foodinsecure, or unable to meet basic food needs. In neighboring countries, the UN reports that 2.7 million Syrian refugees currently require emergency food assistance. 
  • Declining agricultural production due to reduced inputs and damage to irrigation systems, widespread displacement, disruption of markets and transportation, elimination of bread subsidies, damage to mills and bakeries, and loss of livelihoods continue to contribute to unprecedented food insecurity in Syria. In neighboring countries, Syrian refugees lack legal livelihood opportunities and depend on emergency food assistance for their households.

 

Response

  • Since Fiscal Year 2012, USAID's Office of Food for Peace (FFP) has provided over $2.3 billion in emergency food assistance for the Syria crisis—approximately $1.9 billion for programs inside Syria and approximately $722.5 million for programs benefiting refugees in neighboring countries, as well as more than $7 million for a regional food-security analysis program. 
  • FFP is the largest donor of emergency food assistance for the Syria crisis. FFP has provided approximately 32 percent of all funding that the UN World Food Program (WFP) has received for the Syria crisis. FFP is also the single largest supporter of non-governmental organization (NGO) food assistance inside Syria.
  • FFP funding supports programming that reaches approximately 4 million beneficiaries inside Syria and an additional million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries each month. Inside Syria, FFP partners including WFP and NGOs provide flour to bakeries, monthly household food parcels, ready-to-eat rations for recently displaced populations, and food vouchers. For Syrian refugees, FFP provides electronic debit-card food vouchers for use in supermarkets and stores.

 

Food for Peace Contributions

Total Contributions:

  U.S. Dollars
Fiscal Year 2017 $401.8 million
Fiscal Year 2016 $330.4 million
Fiscal Year 2015 $594.3 million

 

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