3.5. Food security

Between November 2024 and May 2025, an estimated 14.56 million people were food insecure, including 9.1 million classified as acutely food insecure and 1.3 million among them facing severe food insecurity. An additional 5.4 million were identified as at risk of hunger.630 Soaring inflation and the depreciation of the SYP have significantly reduced purchasing power.631 According to WFP, Syria remained highly dependent on food imports, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in global commodity prices and exchange rates.632 The minimum wage covered only 16 % of the food component of the MEB, making food unaffordable for large segments of the population. Rising commodity prices exacerbate economic challenges, pushing thousands into severe food insecurity.633 The price of bread rose by 1 % compared to March 2025 and by 382 % compared to 2024.634 A UNOCHA report released in March 2025 revealed that less than 25 % of surveyed respondents had access to essential nutrition services, including malnutrition screening, feeding counselling, and therapeutic treatment for malnutrition. Assessment visits by the UN mission and NGO partners noted signs of malnutrition, especially underweight, amidst many children under five, across regions of Syria that were not reachable due to security challenges and the political situation.635 As of April 2025, WFP indicated that Damascus registered the highest MEB in the country for the third consecutive month (equal to SYP 2 403 097), driven by elevated prices for potatoes, apples, eggplants and white beans.636