Agricultural Voices Syria

Through the creation of a podcast series, we aim to reconnect Syrian farmers and other actors in agri-food value chains with the country’s experts, helping them to start Syria’s long term recovery.

One of the most critical impacts that the Syrian armed conflict had on agriculture was the collapse of extension services for farmers which, before 2011, were provided by the government. The transition to a free-market economy has added further challenges.

Agricultural Voices Syria aims to address these difficulties by promoting capacity building. It provides Syrian agricultural experts living in Turkey and Syria with knowledge and new media to sustain farmers in northwest Syria. The experts are creating a podcast series that will be accessible to those working in the Syrian agricultural sector.

Agricultural Voices Syria (AVS) started with the creation of a podcast series in 2021, followed by a video series in 2022. It was supported by different grants from IDCF and SSRP and was implemented in partnership with Cara, UK (Council for at-risk academics) and SAE, Turkey (Syrian Academic Expertise). The production of videos and podcast for the Syrian farmers has continued after the end of the projects.

The main goal of this research project is to provide knowledge exchange to promote sustainable agricultural practices in North West Syria. This goal is pursued through three lines of activities:

1. By using Syrian agricultural expertise – inside Syria and abroad – to support Syrian farmers. The production of podcasts on different crops and agricultural techniques is key to this activity.
2. By providing examples of successful practices in agri-food value chains to inform a range of actors about different agricultural practices and policies implemented, in particular, in neighbouring countries. For this purpose, five case studies drawing on academic literature from environmental studies, value chains, political ecology and international trade studies have been prepared.
3. By encouraging feedback and participation from Syrian farmers with the purpose of providing expertise targeting their needs and, in particular, food security and improvement of livelihoods. The promotional campaign and survey in North West Syria are key to this activity.

For further information about the project, please contact Dr Mirela Barbu (PI) or Prof Martin Spinelli (Co-I). Or you can send us an email at agriculturalvoices@gmail.com. This website was developed by our Communications Officers, Katherine Jones and Mariam Abdel-Akher.