The Syrian Future Movement is following with grave concern the decision announced by the Idlib Water Resources Directorate on March 24, 2026, to halt irrigation for the 2026 summer season to agricultural lands within the government irrigation project in the Al-Ruj Plain, west of Idlib. This area spans approximately 13,000 hectares and is considered the main food basket for the governorate.
The Syrian Future Movement expresses its full solidarity with the farmers who invested their savings and labor in preparing the summer season (vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes, legumes, etc.) after suffering near-total losses during the winter season due to the floods and torrential rains that struck the region in February 2026. The Movement emphasizes that this decision—despite its technical justifications related to infrastructure damage resulting from years of bombing and the delayed maintenance of the pumping stations from Ain Zarqa—comes at a time that will exacerbate the economic and social losses for tens of thousands of farming families.
The Syrian Future Movement views this event as a prime example of the administrative and technical challenges facing resource management in northwestern Syria. It calls upon the relevant authorities to fully assume their responsibilities by providing urgent solutions, including expediting the maintenance of the four designated pumping stations, immediately coordinating with international and local organizations to provide temporary irrigation alternatives (wells, drip irrigation, and fuel subsidies), and launching a clear compensation program for affected farmers to prevent further rural migration and rising food prices.
The Syrian Future Movement affirms that national food security is a fundamental pillar for the stability of a new Syria and demands that the rehabilitation of irrigation networks be included among the priorities of the national reconstruction plan, taking into account the increasing frequency of floods and droughts caused by climate change.
The Syrian Future Movement reiterates its statement published on its official website on January 11, 2026, titled “The Bread Crisis in Idlib Governorate,” in which it reaffirms that local administrations bear responsibility for shortcomings in service provision. It believes that continuing with short-term management practices without long-term planning will lead to recurring crises and a loss of public trust.
The Syrian Future Movement welcomes the recent positive steps taken by the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture, such as the launch of the national “Ghiath” platform for monitoring rainfall on March 11, 2026, and considers it a model for digital transformation in agricultural resource management. However, we emphasize that such technological tools remain insufficient unless accompanied by a fundamental overhaul of the damaged water infrastructure, especially in vital agricultural production areas like the Al-Ruj Plain.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the recurrence of such crises in water and irrigation management reflects the urgent need for a genuine shift from ad-hoc management to long-term strategic planning. This includes the formation of a joint national committee for water resource management, comprising experts, representatives of farmers, administrative bodies, and international organizations, to ensure that no climatic or technical disaster escalates into a humanitarian and social crisis.
The Syrian Future Movement calls on all national forces and local administrations to prioritize the interests of Syrian farmers and food security, considering the protection of the national food supply a fundamental step towards building the stable state to which all Syrians aspire.
The Syrian Future Movement calls on all national and governmental parties to engage in a serious and transparent dialogue that puts the interest of the Syrian farmer above all else, and believes that building a civil Syria begins with protecting the agricultural capabilities of its people and securing the future of its generations.
