World Bank to Fund Syria’s Agricultural Modernization with a US$175 Million Six-Year Grant
Syria is preparing to launch an ambitious agricultural modernization program backed by a US$175 million grant from the World Bank. The six-year initiative aims to revitalize the country’s agricultural sector, strengthen food security, and promote sustainable rural development.
The project, known as STAR, is currently in its final preparation stage through a series of technical meetings between a delegation from the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture and World Bank experts in Amman, Jordan, ahead of its official launch.
A Comprehensive Agricultural Development Program
The STAR program targets all major components of Syria’s agricultural sector. It focuses on improving crop production, strengthening agricultural value chains, and supporting the livestock sector to enhance productivity and promote the long-term sustainability of both crop and animal production.
The initiative also seeks to strengthen the role of agricultural cooperatives, increasing their contribution to supporting farmers and rural communities, while encouraging greater private sector participation in agricultural development.
Driving Digital Transformation
Beyond agricultural production, the project includes a comprehensive institutional modernization component through the digital transformation of the Ministry of Agriculture. This includes automating agricultural services and administrative procedures to improve operational efficiency and enhance service delivery.
The digitalization effort is viewed as a strategic step toward modernizing the management of Syria’s agricultural sector and aligning it with broader sustainable development goals.
Supporting Food Security and Agricultural Recovery
The STAR project forms part of Syria’s broader agricultural recovery efforts following years of disruption that affected production and agricultural supply chains. Its key objectives include enhancing food security, increasing agricultural productivity, and promoting sustainable rural development, helping to build a more resilient and competitive agricultural sector.
While technical preparations are still underway, authorities have not yet announced a detailed timeline for the disbursement of the grant or the project’s field implementation, pending the completion of the remaining technical and administrative procedures.
