Turkey & Syria Urgently Needs Agricultural Assistance After Deadly Earthquake, says FAO

Two 7.8 magnitude earthquakes struck the region nine hours apart, killing over 45,000 people, injuring thousands, and damaging tens of thousands of homes. The UN agency has expanded its operations in both countries in order to monitor the damage to food production and value chains and identify necessary interventions.

According to ground reports, many of these homeless have been going hungry in relief camps while dealing with the brutal cold with little access to basic amenities like heating or gas.

According to FAO, in addition to residences, massive destruction was observed in both countries' food production, transportation, and storage infrastructure. According to the organisation, irrigation systems, roads, markets, and storage capacity have all been damaged in Turkey.

Crop and livestock production capacity in Syria has been severely disrupted, according to the report. According to FAO, these include livestock damage and loss, agricultural equipment and infrastructure such as greenhouses, irrigation, storage facilities, and food and feed production facilities, among others.

Such destruction endangers both immediate and long-term food security, according to a UN agency statement issued on February 17, 2023. According to FAO, the organization's priority in both Turkey and Syria is to ensure that the most affected rural communities can sustain and recover basic food production, while also assisting local authorities in assessing agricultural damage and needs on a larger scale.

Activities in both countries will concentrate on providing agricultural inputs (animal feed, seed, seedlings, fertiliser, fuel, tools, and equipment), veterinary care (livestock treatment and vaccination), and unconditional cash transfers for one to three months. Damage and needs assessments, as well as recovery plans, will help to guide future actions, according to the statement.

The World Health Organization (WHO) identified medical supply and assistance, including vaccination and health infrastructure rebuilding, and initially requested $43 million. On February 14, 2023, the UN health agency stated that it will require at least double this amount to provide the necessary assistance. According to WHO, the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure raised concerns about the spread of infectious diseases.