Restoring Syria’s Wheat Heritage: From Seed Purification to Smallholder Access

Project Summary

Syria’s war reduced its certified wheat seed stock from 32 varieties to 16, threatening the genetic base of the country’s staple crop. In 2024, IHH partnered with GAP Agricultural Research Institute in Şanlıurfa to purify and restore 17 wheat varieties through a full agricultural cycle: soil preparation, planting, observation, irrigation, fertilization, harvest, technical testing, selection, and packaging. The purification is complete. These elite seeds are adapted to Syria’s climate and ready for multiplication.

Presentation of the Organization

Humanitarian Relief Foundation, headquartered in Istanbul, has delivered aid across more than 100 countries since 1995. It operates an Agriculture, Environment, and Climate Change unit implementing agricultural projects in Syria since 2011, including wheat seed distribution to farming families with technical monitoring by Damascus University. This project partners with Turkish agricultural research institutions and maintains a seed multiplication presence in Syria.