Hunger and lack of access to adequate food remain a persistent problem in Syria , with over 80% of households unable to secure sufficient and diverse food on a stable basis, according to a recent study by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Nearly eighteen months after the fall of the Assad regime and the dying down of the Syrian conflict, hunger is no longer considered an emergency or exceptional condition in Syria, but has become part of the daily reality for millions of people.
While humanitarian aid is keeping millions of Syrians alive, it is insufficient to break the vicious cycle of hunger, and eight out of every ten Syrians live in chronic food insecurity, without reliable daily access to adequate meals.
According to a WFP update issued last month, which covered January 2026, some hunger-related indicators had seen slight improvement, with the percentage of food-secure households rising from 11% in 2024 to 18% in 2025.
This however, does not change the fact that the overwhelming majority of Syrians still cannot meet their basic food needs.
Around 600,000 Syrian children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition, including 177,000 who are severely malnourished.
More than 690,000 children suffer from stunting, with rates rising from 12.6% in 2019 to 16.1% in 2023.
Amid the dire food security situation, a survey conducted in February 2025 also showed that less than a quarter of the population has access to basic nutrition services, including screening, treatment, and dietary counselling.
The crisis is not only about the quantity of food available but also the quality of diets. Most households rely heavily on legumes and starchy foods, with very limited consumption of meat, dairy, and fruit due to high prices and declining purchasing power. Overwhelming needs amid lack of funding In January 2026, the WFP reached 6.7 million people inside Syria, distributing around 36,700 tons of food. It also injected about $20 million into the local economy through cash transfers, averaging $100 per beneficiary household, in an effort to support declining purchasing power.
However, needs remain enormous, with 6.4 million people requiring daily food assistance to survive. The WFP faces severe funding challenges that threaten its ability to continue to provide aid. International funding of the WFP has declined, with the suspension of some forms of US support.
This has created major service gaps, particularly in northern Syria. Data shows that 416,000 children in northwest and northeast Syria are now at increased risk of malnutrition as a result, while 1,909 cases of severe malnutrition with complications remain untreated due to funding shortages.
In northwest Syria, 13 projects implemented by eight partner organizations have been affected, impacting more than 40,000 children and 17,705 pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Services provided by 17 health facilities and 116 mobile teams have been disrupted, and nutrition services have been cut off for 213 communities, including five specialized centres for treating severe acute malnutrition. Unable to make a living Syria’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, Hind Kabawat , has said that about 80% of Syrians live below the poverty line, and the gap between income levels and living costs continues to widen, making access to balanced nutrition nearly impossible for most families.
She noted that salaries remain low despite a recent 100% increase, ranging between $200 and $300, while average rent in Damascus is about $1,000.
Khaldoun Al-Fadel a former employee of the Electricity Ministry in his fifties who now works as street vendor selling dried herbs lin a working-class area of Damascus after losing his job.
“I sell all day just to earn enough for a bundle of bread and some vegetables. Customers ask about prices more than they buy. Herbs have become a luxury, like meat and chicken. I can no longer afford medicine for my chronically ill wife, nor provide balanced meals for my children. We eat to survive, not to be full,” he told The New Arab .
In a modest home in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, Ramziya Al-Nashwati lives with her four children in a single room. Her husband has been missing for years, and she has not been able to confirm his death or receive any compensation. She relies on occasional house-cleaning work, but sometimes returns home empty-handed.
My biggest worry is the daily meal. Sometimes we survive on bread and tea. Sometimes we cook lentils or rice if available. The children have never really tasted fruits - they only hear about them,” she told The New Arab .