Three million people are in need of food or livelihoods assistance according to a June 2012 FAO/WFP/Ministry of Agriculture report. Out of these, 1.5 million Syrians, particularly families who moved from their places of origin to other safer areas, require urgent and immediate food assistance. It is estimated that the farming sector has lost $1.8bn due to the events this year as food and cash crop commodities, livestock and irrigation infrastructure have been damaged. Many poor households have lost their livelihoods as they were forced to abandon their farms or leave crops unattended due to lack of labour, scarcity of fuel, or rise in fuel costs. Obtaining water, food and medical care has proved difficult for residents in affected areas. People have continued to cross borders, bringing the number of Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey to over 311,500 as of 2 October 2012 based on UNHCR statistics, more than three times as high compared to June. Most of the refugees have left their home communities with no or very few belongings and are fully dependent on assistance. Given the current situation in Syria, it is expected that the humanitarian needs will continue into 2013.
October 2012