The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said it fears that if rainfall does not increase, drought could put the lives of millions of people at risk.

According to a report published Tuesday by the WFP, during the rainy season, which is between September and April, there has been less than half of the average amount of rain.

"WFP is extremely concerned that up to 6.5 million people inside Syria might be severely food insecure and will require external food assistance to survive," said WFP spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs. "We are also very concerned about the impact of a looming drought hitting the northwest of the country."

The WFP report outlines how dry conditions will compound the impact of the civil war on the agricultural sector.

It says wheat production, which is expected to be between 1.7 and 2 million metric tonnes, would be a record low and would also necessitate increased imports of the crop.

Source - http://al-shorfa.com/