The Russian-Ukrainian conflict and its food security implications in Northwest Syria

A new Mercy Corps report finds that ripple effects from the conflict in Ukraine threaten to exacerbate food insecurity in Northwest Syria, already rising after a decade of conflict and economic instability and compounded by a severe drought that impacted last year’s harvest.

More than 4.1 million people are food insecure in Northwest Syria and even before the conflict erupted in Ukraine, the region saw a 86% increase in food prices from January 2021 to January 2022.

Additional report findings include:

• The price of essential food items in Northwest Syria has already increased between 22% and 67% (varies by region) since the start of the conflict in Ukraine. Price increases have been accompanied by a shortage in sunflower oil, sugar, and flour in some communities.
• Food needs have increased 8.3% for every $1 increase in flour prices and 6.2% for every $1 increase in wheat prices.
• Fuel reserves are most likely sufficient to last one to two months, largely due to insufficient storage facilities.
• Between 17 February and 10 March, the town of Sarmada experienced: a 44% increase in the price of bulger, a 67% increase in the price of sunflower oil, 47% increase in the price of long-grain rice, and a 30% increase in the price of sugar.