WFP warns of worsening hunger in Syria

The World Food Programme warned of the impact of severe funding shortages on its operations in Syria, saying it has been forced to reduce both the scale and geographic reach of food assistance at a time when millions of Syrians are facing high levels of food insecurity.

In its August 2026 country report, the WFP said the number of people receiving food assistance had fallen from around 1.3 million to 650,000, while its operations had been reduced from 14 governorates to seven.

This comes as around 7.1 million people face severe levels of food insecurity, while approximately 15.6 million require some form of humanitarian assistance, out of an estimated population of 24.4 million.

Bread Support Halted as Prices Rise

The WFP said funding shortages had forced it to halt its nationwide bread subsidy programme, affecting more than six million people. The suspension of the subsidy contributed to an increase of more than 18 percent in bread prices.

It warned that limited emergency food assistance was placing additional pressure on the most vulnerable households and local markets, potentially exacerbating social tensions and weakening social cohesion during the transitional period.

The WFP called for $200 million in urgent funding before the end of 2026 to restore essential food assistance to around 1.3 million people facing food insecurity, displacement or economic hardship.

The agency also needs around $186 million to cover its funding requirements between August 2026 and January 2027, while continuing nutrition programmes, livelihood protection and efforts to strengthen social protection systems.

Assistance Reaches 682,000 People in July

According to the report, the WFP provided assistance to around 682,000 people in July and shipped nearly 3,987 tonnes of food commodities, in addition to providing cash transfers worth $4.9 million.

Since the beginning of 2026, the agency has distributed ready-to-eat emergency assistance to more than 142,000 people, including returnees crossing border points and people affected by floods in Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor.

On return and displacement, the WFP said more than 3.6 million people had returned to their areas since December 2024, including around 1.68 million refugees and 1.97 million internally displaced people.

The agency continues to provide food assistance to families relocated from Al-Hol camp, benefiting around 5,450 people from 1,090 families. During the first quarter of the year, it also supported the return of around 9,000 displaced people from Hasakah to Afrin.

Flour Support Suspended in Southern Syria

In southern Syria, the WFP delivered 1,255 tonnes of subsidized wheat flour to bakeries to provide subsidized bread to more than 72,000 displaced people in Suwayda, Rural Damascus and Quneitra. The programme was suspended at the end of July due to funding shortages.

On nutrition, the WFP said it had reached around 230,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding women during the first half of the year.

In July, 52,779 beneficiaries received treatment for moderate acute malnutrition, while 48,962 people benefited from preventive programmes targeting the first stage of children's lives.

Projects to Support Bread Production and Agriculture

The WFP completed 75 projects during the first half of 2026, including the rehabilitation of 11 bakeries and two grain silos, as well as providing generators to 60 bakeries. Work is also continuing on 22 additional projects involving the rehabilitation of 19 bakeries, two grain silos and two mills.

The agency is also implementing projects linked to agricultural and water infrastructure, including the rehabilitation of two pumping stations in Aleppo and Hama to provide irrigation water to tens of thousands of hectares, alongside initiatives supporting recovery from forest fires and strengthening markets and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The WFP warned that ongoing security risks, floods, seasonal fires and other climate-related shocks continue to threaten people's livelihoods and infrastructure, as well as their ability to access essential services.

ANHA