4.4. Food security

An estimated 13.3 million people in Syria were assessed as food insecure, including 7.2 million acutely and 0.7 million severely food insecure. Despite slight improvements recorded compared to 2025 when 14.5 million were assessed as food insecure, the situation was assessed as fragile, with 6.2 million more are at risk of falling into food insecurity amid instability, funding shortfalls, drought, and economic hardship.989 In 2025, approximately 18.4 % of households nationwide were food secure (19 % for households living in urban areas and 16.4 % in rural areas), compared with 4.2 % among in camp populations. Food security varied significantly by region, with Tartous reporting the highest share of food-secure households (29.9 %), followed by Rural Damascus (27.6 %) and Damascus (21.9 %), while Raqqa (4.2 %), Hasaka (4.6 %) and Sweida (5.4 %) recorded the lowest levels. Food security remained significantly lower in governorates facing security challenges such as Hasaka, Raqqa and Sweida, compared to more stable areas.990

Improved food availability in 2025 was driven by a combination of increased remittance inflows, reduced import tariffs, easing food price inflation, and a rise in the minimum wage, which together enhanced households’ purchasing power and access to food. Vulnerable groups, including IDPs, returnees, persons with disabilities, and female-headed households, continued to face disproportionately low levels of food security.991 For instance, in 2025, female-headed households faced lower food security, with only 12.0 % classified as food-secure compared to 18.5% of male-headed households.992

As of February 2026, the national average MEB993 was on average around 2.43 million SYP (around USD 220 at an official exchange rate of SYP 11 055 = 1 USD) for a family of five which was 31 % covered (47 % of its food component) by the official monthly minimum wage. Damascus recorded the fourth highest MEB costs out of all governorates (after Sweida, Hasaka and Tartous governorates) in February 2026 with 2.55 million SYP (around USD 230) while also recording a month-on-month price increase of 1.7 %).994 In Damascus and Aleppo, ‘stressed’ (Phase 2)995 food security conditions persist in urban areas as of May 2026, as fuel shortages limit purchasing power and force many households to rely on black-market liquefied petroleum gas.996

In January 2026, the WFP assisted 6.7 million people in Syria with food distributions and cash transfers to support purchasing power, but needs remain critical, with 6.4 million requiring daily food assistance, while declining international funding, particularly reduced U.S. support, threatens continued operations.997