The SRTF’s Ongoing Comprehensive Support Protects Wheat Crops Against Major Pest Threats in Northern Aleppo

Aleppo – Wednesday, 30 April 2025 – As part of its ongoing efforts to revitalise wheat cultivation in Northern Aleppo, the SRTF is intensifying and expediting its support to local farmers by protecting their crops against one of the most damaging pests affecting wheat quality and production: the Sunn pest, among other crop-related threats.

The Sunn pest attacks wheat plants by feeding on their sap and secreting enzymes that damage grain quality, causing a decline in flour and dough performance. Even small infestations can lead to wheat shipment rejections. The pest overwinters under debris and emerges in spring, with its threat peaking as wheat grains mature, making timely pest control essential.

To address this critical challenge, the SRTF recently completed the delivery of 10,000 litres of pesticides to the Implementing Entity (IE), and started spraying farmers’ lands, benefitting 2,000 farmers farming 4,000 hectares across Northern Aleppo. This initiative aims to protect wheat crops during their most vulnerable stage, improving grain quality, safeguarding farmers’ income, and ensuring a steady supply of wheat to local markets. The SRTF is also working with the IE to provide more farmers with the needed pesticides.

During the latest distribution event, the Director of the IE shared: “The main objective of these pesticides is combatting Sunn pest attacks in wheat fields as they are very dangerous for this crop and can affect wheat in two ways; firstly, it creates a shortage in produce and secondly it affects the quality of wheat and the resulting produced flour. Flour milled from wheat grown in fields infected with Sunn pests is of very bad quality and cannot be used for bread production. The pesticides will be sprayed across beneficiary farmers’ fields in addition to the fields neighbouring theirs, as Sunn pests move easily from field to field and so the whole area would need to be sprayed so the solution is more effective. Using these pesticides reduces the amount of damage and the spread of the pests and so improves the amount and quality of harvested wheat and the resulting milled flour. This would in turn increase farmers’ income and reduce costs on them, while also improving the effectiveness of this prevention mechanism in general… This reflects positively onto surrounding communities, as the amount and quality of produce are improved, thereby, enhancing food security in the area.”

Projects supporting wheat cultivation are considered a vital priority for the SRTF. Wheat is a staple crop that hundreds of thousands of Syrian families depend on for their daily food security. By protecting wheat crops, improving storage and transport capacity, and supporting farmers through training and input provision, the SRTF continues to enhance food security, improve livelihoods, and foster resilience across Northern Aleppo during these difficult times.

For more information about this project, please visit:

Support Farmers for the Production of Wheat Crop in North Aleppo

For more information on the SRTF visit:

http://www.srtfund.org

Media outlets may contact:

communications@srtfund.org