The agricultural oasis of Palmyra in the Homs governorate witnessed works to rehabilitate its water infrastructure, through the implementation of the first phase of the project to restore and clear damaged aqueducts. This project aims to improve the irrigation situation and secure water for approximately 200 hectares of orchards, within a broader project targeting a total area of 400 hectares of the oasis.
The deputy director of water resources in Homs governorate, Engineer Ayman Shama, clarified that the directorate is currently focusing on rehabilitating wells L9 and L9A, as they are the main water source feeding the oasis, which suffered significant damage. Shama pointed out that the project aims to revive the historic oasis, support agricultural production, improve farmers' income sources, and encourage them to return to their lands and settle there.
For his part, the head of the Palmyra Irrigation Center, Engineer Rabee Ammar, explained that the ongoing works include restoring and clearing aqueducts up to a length of 3 kilometers, in addition to carrying out concrete pouring works for damaged sections with a volume estimated at approximately 180 cubic meters. Ammar noted that the first phase will serve about 200 hectares of orchards, pointing out that the first phase began in the middle of last month, with an implementation period set at three months, and that the works are proceeding according to the approved schedule without obstacles.
For his part, farmer Khaled Al-Jumaa pointed out that the orchards and irrigation networks suffered widespread damage, including the destruction of canals and aqueducts, the silting up of a large number of wells, and the destruction of the electricity network that used to supply the orchards. Al-Jumaa affirmed that the rehabilitation of the aqueducts will allow farmers to resume irrigating their lands and improve the situation of the oasis, especially olive and palm orchards, stressing that securing water represents the primary priority for the return of agricultural activity, alongside providing production supplies and chemical fertilizers.
The Palmyra oasis is considered one of the most prominent agricultural oases in the Syrian Badia, and has formed for decades a cornerstone of agricultural activity and a source of livelihood for many families in the city, as current efforts seek to restore this agricultural heritage after the damage it sustained.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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