In Rural Damascus Governorate, more than a decade of conflict and the impacts of economic deterioration have severely affected small-scale livestock breeders and farmers, in a context marked by dysfunctional local markets and severe food insecurity. In response to this situation, AZIMA was launched as an assistance and early recovery initiative promoted by ICU – Institute for University Cooperation, in partnership with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) and funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
The project adopts an integrated and multi-level approach that goes beyond emergency humanitarian assistance to lay the foundations for sustainable and dignified livelihoods in the districts of Douma and Babila. The intervention focuses on revitalising sheep farming and promoting women’s economic empowerment through targeted support to 200 vulnerable households, which will receive 1,000 pregnant ewes, together with fodder and barley seeds to promote the immediate local production of animal feed.
At the same time, AZIMA invests in social capital and women’s entrepreneurship. 100 rural women will participate in training programmes on business skills and life skills and will receive productive kits to launch home-based micro-enterprises related to food processing and local handicrafts.
The project’s strength also lies in its systemic sustainability. AZIMA goes beyond direct support by rehabilitating four public veterinary and agricultural centres and four food-processing units of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform (MOAAR). By restoring these infrastructures to full functionality and training local staff, the project establishes a stable network of essential services and veterinary health controls in the targeted areas, helping ensure that the economic and social results are sustained over time.
