Grant for Cleared Fields
A $4.4 million (USD) Japanese grant will fund the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance from farmland in Syria and the rehabilitation of agricultural land, under an agreement announced on 18 June 2026. The work pairs demining with efforts to restore food production.
The program is carried out with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Syria's National Center for Mine Action.
Where the Work Targets
The effort focuses on northwest Syria, covering the governorates of Aleppo, Hama, and Idlib. Alongside removing explosive hazards from fields, it includes rehabilitating irrigation networks and wells to bring land back into production.
Officials framed the clearance of farmland as a precondition for reviving rural livelihoods in areas where contamination has kept land idle.
Families Supported
About 1,500 farming families are to receive agricultural inputs and technical assistance under the program, aimed at restarting cultivation on land cleared of mines.
The combination of land clearance, repaired irrigation, and direct support to households is intended to shorten the path from cleared ground to harvested crops.
Mines and the Harvest
Contamination from mines and unexploded ordnance has kept large areas of farmland out of use, cutting off income for households that depend on cultivation. Clearing the ground is presented as the first step before irrigation and planting can resume.
One official described the work as "a crucial step for Syria's future," tying the removal of explosive remnants to the recovery of agricultural production.
Building on Earlier Aid
The new grant follows an earlier $5.5 million (USD) allocation directed at infrastructure in Aleppo and Homs. Together the commitments point to a focus on rural recovery in regions heavily affected by years of conflict.