Attachments
I. Executive Summary
Humanitarian needs have doubled in Syria since 2015, driven by years of conflict, and compounded by multifaceted and successive shocks. Today 12.9 million people –55 percent of the population -are food insecure, including 3.1 million severely food insecure. An additional 2.6 million people are at risk of sliding into food insecurity.
At the same time, growing humanitarian needs are challenged by dwindling humanitarian funding. By the end of 2023, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria (US $ 5.41 billion) was only a third covered; the lowest level of coverage since 2011. Syria’s plight during this time was not isolated, but rather part of a globalscale reduction of humanitarian assistance started in 2023. As a result, key humanitarian actors, such as WFP, were forced to implement difficult measures, such as cutting ration and reducing the number of beneficiaries reached.
WFP Syria was deeply impacted. In July 2023, funding shortfalls, exacerbated by higher food prices and operational costs, forced WFP to reduce general food assistance by 40 percent. As funding challenges continued, in December 2023 WFP Syria was forced to discontinue its broadbased assistance and institute new, rigorous targeting and eligibility criteria. Effectively, WFP reduced monthly assistance by 80 percent between 2023 and 2024, and now serves less than half of the severely food insecure people in Syria.
To comprehensively evaluate the effects of this decision on the food security status of its beneficiaries, WFP Syria participated in a global initiative to conduct an impact of cuts study. The study used both quantitative and qualitative data to assess the impact of assistance cuts on WFP beneficiaries’ food consumption and coping strategies.
Whilst the findings of the study were used to guide WFP Syria programmatic decisions - aimed at improving its efficiency and effectiveness in the context of reduced resources - they also provide indications on how the future may look like for food insecurity levels in Syria should funding gaps continue and further prioritisation be required.
Key findings are as follows:
• WFP beneficiaries’ food consumption score (FCS) worsened, especially for female-headed households, and dietary diversity decreased. Additionally, a rise in distressing coping strategies among households was noted, including sending children to work or withdrawing them from school.
• WFP beneficiaries are making increasing use of heightened levels of negative coping strategies, such as selling their homes, and a shift in household dynamics with increased responsibilities for women. Additionally, the study highlighted an intention to migrate for employment as a response to current conditions.
The findings emphasize the need for sustained and adequate humanitarian support, including early recovery programmes, to address the growing food and nutrition needs. Further, it underscores the urgent need for enhanced protection measures to safeguard vulnerable segments of the population. The study also emphasizes the critical role of timely food assistance in maintaining food consumption and preventing the adoption of distressing coping mechanisms by vulnerable households.
Overall, the findings present a concerning picture for food security in Syria, indicating a deepening of dire living conditions and an accelerated depletion of coping mechanisms.