Damascus Nov. 7 (SANA) As urban development expands and agricultural land continues to shrink, the Abu Jarash orchards remain among the last agricultural areas preserved within Damascus’s urban fabric.
The orchards are more than just green spaces; they are a source of food and employment, a living link to an agricultural heritage passed down through generations of farmers, and an important contributor to the city’s environmental balance.
Today, however, these orchards face mounting challenges, including water scarcity, declining agricultural productivity and pressure from urban expansion, raising questions about how they can be protected and their continued existence ensured.
The land and farmers’ heritage
Ismail Zarifa, a farmer working in the Abu Jarash orchards, recalls his family’s connection to the area dating back to around 1900. Speaking to SANA, he explained that his ancestors practiced agriculture there before patterns of land ownership and employment changed, with farmers moving to a tenancy system during the feudal period, followed by expropriation decisions in 1975.
According to Zarifa, the area stretches from Barzeh Housing in the north towards al-Adawi in the south, and from Rukn al-Din in the east towards al-Qaboun in the west. Part of the area is now known as al-Nuzha neighborhood.
Zarifa said the orchards constitute a diverse agricultural production area, encompassing vegetable and fruit cultivation and olive groves, as well as livestock raising and the production of milk and meat.
These activities supply products to Damascus markets and provide employment and sources of income for agricultural workers.
He estimated daily milk production at around two and a half tonnes, in addition to other products that form part of the area’s economic and food production activities.
Water scarcity threatens agricultural continuity
Despite the diversity of production and the area’s importance, farmers face challenges that threaten the continuity of their activities, foremost among them declining water resources and the drying up of the Yazid River, which was once an important source of irrigation for agricultural land.
Zarifa said the river’s drying up had directly affected agricultural activity in the area, stressing the need for intervention to address the water shortage, restore water flow and provide the production requirements farmers need to continue their work.
According to Zarifa, farmers’ demands go beyond resolving irrigation problems. They also include providing the necessary support to sustain agricultural activity and improve working conditions.
He noted that local residents cooperate through community initiatives and a neighborhood committee that follows up on local affairs, while stressing the need for a broader response from the relevant authorities to farmers’ demands.
Among olive trees and vegetable plots, Abu Jarash farmers continue working despite the burdens of production and water shortages, remaining attached to land that represents not only a source of livelihood but also an extension of their families’ history and agricultural roots.
Environmental value within the urban fabric
The agricultural importance of the Abu Jarash orchards is closely linked to their environmental value.
Ahmad al-Zaidan, Director of the Environment Department at Damascus Governorate, explained that the Abu Jarash and al-Adawi orchards are among the city’s important agricultural and green spaces.
They help moderate temperatures, absorb some air pollutants and improve the aesthetic character of the urban landscape.
Al-Zaidan noted that these areas also provide habitats for birds, animals and insects, thereby helping preserve biodiversity and maintain ecological balance. He estimated their combined area at approximately 359 hectares.
According to al-Zaidan, these functions become even more important in cities experiencing increasing urban density. Green spaces are not merely aesthetic features; they perform essential environmental functions that improve quality of life and help mitigate some of the effects associated with urban expansion.
I.Z/MZ
