Impact of the Syrian conflict on irrigated agriculture in the Orontes Basin

Abstract

The impact of conflict on irrigated agriculture and consequently summer crop production within conflict-affected agricultural lands was observed in the Orontes Basin. Water and energy use were reconfigured through a transition from rainfed to irrigated agricultural production over the past 20 years, but have been disrupted as the Syrian war has unfolded since 2011. Remotely sensed vegetation indices were used to determine irrigated summer crop yields during the year 2013. Findings suggest that irrigated agricultural production dropped between 15% and 30% in the Syrian portion of the basin in 2000–2013, with hotspots identifiable in Idleb, Homs, Hama, Daraa and Aleppo. The developed approach demonstrated effectiveness in quantifying and geolocating hotspots where conflicts have the strongest impact on agricultural water use, agricultural production, and eventually support relief and regional agricultural reconstruction in this and other conflict regions.

Keywords::

• Syria
• Orontes Basin
• conflict
• food security
• irrigated agriculture
• vegetation index

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2015.1023892

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by funds from the American University of Beirut Research Board and the United States Agency for International Development under the Middle East Water and Livelihoods Initiative, managed by the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of funding agencies.