FAO and WFP warn war
worsens acute food insecurity

Families curtail number of meals and buy lower-quality foods

A severe food insecurity is being faced by a large segment of the population said a recent report jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) – both of the United Nations (UN).

“Rising food prices, combined with limited income-generating opportunities, have forced many households to reduce the number of meals or buy low-quality food. By August 2024, approximately 76 percent of households were employing medium or high food-related coping strategies and over 20 percent were resorting to critical livelihood coping strategies,” according to their Crop and Food Security Assessment report which was concluded in July 2024, before the escalation of the war.

Poor food consumption and low dietary quality continue to be critical issues especially in areas in the Akkar and the North governorates, where poverty rates are high and there is a high dependency on agriculture. The report said that households in these areas are consuming less diverse and less nutritious diets, raising concerns about long-term health impacts. An estimated 1.26 million people (23 percent of the population) were facing acute food insecurity as of mid-2024 and a further deterioration is expected due to the escalation of the conflict that has moved beyond southern governorates.

The situation is highly likely to worsen. The conflict has caused large-scale population displacements, food shortages and restricted humanitarian access. This is occurring in a situation where nearly one quarter of the population was already suffering from poor food consumption patterns, whilst about 50 percent of Syrian refugees are experiencing acute food insecurity and rely on low-quality diets.

In response to the shocks, many households have resorted to negative coping strategies, including reducing the number of meals and purchasing lower-quality foods. Syrian refugees, largely dependent on humanitarian aid and informal labor, continue to face income instability and high levels of acute food insecurity, often relying on negative coping mechanisms.

Despite multiple crises, food markets have remained functional, with generally stable supply chains for essential goods. However, the intensifying conflict is likely to disrupt supply chains, particularly in the southern and eastern regions where attacks have been mostly concentrated.