Following its project – “Support to Potato Producers in North Aleppo” – the Syria Recovery Trust Fund (SRTF) recently announced the delivery of agricultural machinery and equipment to ease the farming and harvesting of potatoes.

Four sets of potato digger machines, intended to harvest both single and double rows of potatoes, were delivered. The Syrian farmers also received four sets of 1,000-liter-capacity tractor-mounted sprayers for plant protection, as well as four sets of fertilizer and hoeing machines for root filling, fertilizing, and hoeing spaces between rows of potatoes, as well as tools for breaking up duff layers and softening hard soil, as well as tools for cutting and removing harmful herbs from around the harvest.

Fourthly, the nation received four sets of shredders for potato leaves. To make the harvesting process easier, they are employed to cut the grass in between the potato rows. Finally, two sets of stationery for cleaning, sorting, grading, and bagging potato tubers according to size were given to the producers. Four farmers’ organizations in four separate places have each received one piece of machinery.

“This project aims to increase the production of better-quality potatoes, improve the cultivation practices and increase yield, create job opportunities for field workers and graduates in agronomy and agriculture mechanization for each association,” according to a recent release.

Given that advisory services, technical assistance, and training are offered to farmers to improve the overall procedure and increase production, this action will encourage farmers to resume potato production on a commercial scale and assist them in expanding the cultivated areas to increase the availability of potatoes in local markets.

“These newly available machines are necessary for farmers and will contribute to improving farming operations in general, given that they are unique and not available before in the local markets. We expect to serve a large segment of farmers and improve farming operations since the machinery is advanced reflecting positively on farmers and the population in the area as well,” SRTF representatives wrote in their release, citing Zafer, a staff member working with the IE.

The Availability of Locally Produced Potatoes was Blocked by the War

Most of the equipment used by farmers in the cultivation and production of potatoes were either destroyed during the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic or became irreparably damaged.

As a result, it became more difficult to get locally produced potatoes on the local market, necessitating imports from nearby nations. To entice farmers to resume large-scale potato production, it is essential to address the shortage of new equipment for field preparation and planting and the usage of after-harvest processing of potatoes.

The SRTF, in cooperation with an implementing entity, will give four farmer associations the necessary agricultural equipment to mechanize the work of potato production and to aid the farmers in expanding the cultivated areas to overcome the difficult situation as stated above and to enable as well as encourage Syrian farmers to return to potato production at a commercial scale.

The project, which has a EUR1 million budget and a 12-month lifespan, is anticipated to directly assist about 700 potato producers and about 5,600 family members.

At a rate of three hectares per farmer on average, the farmers who will profit from the use of the agricultural equipment made available through this project will cultivate an estimated area of about 2,100 hectares.