The Real Value of Syrian WheatThe Real Value of Syrian Wheat

The next time you see a weed, show it some respect. Food security has become a pressing issue in Syria as well as the world, and that is due to conflicts, environmental woes, rising food prices and interruptions in supply chains. Prior to the war, the Syrian agricultural sector formed a fundamental pillar of the country’s economy, development as well as its history and cultural lore. Agriculture and harvest, especially wheat, are encoded in Syria’s history and culture.

The wild wheat variety found in Syria is considered to be one of the best in the world. Syria’s Northern ‘Fertile Crescent’ region is the birthplace of domesticated agriculture. Present-day Syria was once considered the “bread-basket of the Middle East”. Agriculture formed a vital economic resource for more than 46% of the Syrian population, and Syria was the only Arab state to be completely self-reliant in cultivation of wheat.

Syria’s wheat is valuable because of its wild type, like a weed. It has developed survival strategies from thousands of years of changing conditions and untended growth. This made the wheat evolve to be extremely resilient in coping with weather extremes, disease, salt and predatory insects. Wheat farmed today has been bred for domestication, which means productivity is enhanced at the expense of resistance to disease and insects. The wild ancient wheat of Syria, reaching from Aleppo, through the northern fertile crescent and to the Caucasus, has survived outside of pampering and tending.

In a 2018 report by Yale School of the Environment in the US, the strength of Syrian wild wheat was found to be crucial in addressing their own environmental issues. Wheat cultivation in large parts of the country is suffering from effects of climate change. Shorter winters and early starting summers have caused a pest called the Hessian fly to flourish; the US’ wheat crops have been ravaged as a result.

They argue that Syrian ICARDA seeds smuggled out of Syria during the war can aid the United States cultivation of wheat. Experiments found that, unlike the US domesticated wheat, Syrian wild wheat varieties proved stronger and impervious to the Hessian fly. Seventy percent of the Syrian wheat resisted the fly attacks with no pesticide used. These scientists plan to introduce properties from the Syrian seeds showing high resistance to pests into the breeding stock.

These seeds are being utilized without any permission or dialogue with relevant Syrian authorities on the matter. It is hoped that one day, Syrians can reassert the strength of their wheat cultivation and agricultural richness.