The Dan Foundation for Relief and Development (DRD), in partnership with DCA, continues to implement interventions aimed at supporting farmers and enhancing their ability to restore their sources of income, through a qualitative project in the village of Al-Bayda in the countryside of Ain Issa district in Raqqa Governorate. This intervention comes after DCA teams completed the clearance of two agricultural fields from unexploded ordnance, which paved the way for DRD to work directly with the landowners to revive their agricultural activity, which had been halted for nearly ten years.

As part of this intervention, two agricultural wells were drilled in the two targeted land plots and equipped with the necessary equipment to ensure sustainable irrigation water supply. The wells also underwent operational tests to verify their readiness to meet actual irrigation needs. In addition, the farmers received certified wheat seeds suitable for the local climatic conditions, in quantities sufficient to cultivate an area of two hectares, in accordance with the recommendations of the local Agriculture Directorate.

To encourage the transition towards more efficient irrigation techniques, each farmer was provided with a sprinkler irrigation system, contributing to reducing water waste and replacing traditional surface irrigation methods with more sustainable practices. The intervention also included the establishment of a Farmer Field School in the village, serving as a practical training platform to help farmers apply climate-smart agriculture principles, including modern irrigation techniques, proper agricultural practices for wheat cultivation such as seeding and fertilization rates, integrated pest management, and other methods that enhance productivity and sustainability.

This intervention represents a pivotal step in supporting livelihoods, enhancing local food security, and empowering farmers to restore their vital role in sustainable agricultural production

The DAN Foundation, in partnership with DCA, is implementing an integrated agricultural project in the Hjeira Al-Balad area of Darayya in Rural Damascus, aiming to strengthen the capacities of the agricultural cooperative and empower its members to develop their agricultural production and improve their livelihoods sustainably.

As part of its support for agricultural development, DAN is training cooperative members on producing vegetables outside their traditional seasons using greenhouses and agricultural tunnels, through the application of the Farmer Field Schools methodology.

A model field school has been established on one of the farmers’ land, where the foundation equipped it with: an integrated plastic house for producing early spring vegetables, and a set of plastic tunnels sufficient for cultivating two donums of vegetables.

The training is conducted both theoretically and practically under the supervision of specialized trainers, with direct follow-up from the Syrian Ministry of Agriculture and the Rural Damascus Agriculture Directorate, ensuring the quality of training and the application of proper agricultural practices.

In addition to agricultural support, two groups have been formed from cooperative members under the name Disaster Risk Reduction groups. Members of these groups receive specialized training in planning and responding to natural disasters, and supporting farmers in emergency situations, particularly fire risks. They have also been provided with essential tools that enable them to intervene quickly and effectively to protect agricultural lands and livelihoods.

In the upcoming phase, the DAN Foundation intends to rehabilitate the community infrastructure of the agricultural cooperative, including the cooperative’s warehouse and administration office, aiming to enhance the cooperative’s role as an effective community institution capable of providing better services to its members.

These integrated interventions seek to empower the agricultural cooperative in Hjeirat Al-Balad, enhance its technical and administrative capacities, and increase its resilience in facing economic and agricultural challenges, ensuring sustainable income sources and the continuity of its future projects.

In displacement settings, families who have lost their homes and struggle to secure a hot meal in the harsh winter search for a safe way to cook—one that offers their children a minimum sense of warmth and security. In such moments, rapid response becomes a beacon of hope that restores a measure of reassurance.
In this context, Dan Relief and Development Organization, in partnership with DCA, distributed kerosene stoves designed for cooking to displaced families from Al Shekh Maqsoud and ALAshrafiya neighborhoods in Aleppo, currently residing in camps and collective shelters in the town of Tabqa in

northeastern Syria.

The activity included the distribution of 53 kerosene stoves, accompanied by 25 liter fuel jerrycans, benefiting 53 displaced families. The goal was to enable them to prepare their daily meals safely. The stove’s practical design also provides a modest amount of warmth during use.
This intervention comes amid the difficult living conditions faced by displaced families and the urgent need for basic cooking means that ensure a minimum level of food security within camps and shelters.
This activity was carried out as part of the emergency program that Dan Relief and Development Organization prioritizes, reaffirming swift response and humanitarian commitment to the most vulnerable groups, and aiming to alleviate the suffering of displaced people and provide them with the minimum essentials for a dignified life during times of crisis