 March 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the start of the Syrian conflict. Although safety and security is no longer a daily worry, the conditions for the majority of the Syrian people are worse now than at any point during the crisis. Work is hard to find, food prices are constantly rising, savings are exhausted and fuel and power are in short supply with queues and long power cuts. The annual review of humanitarian needs shows that the number of food insecure people in Syria has gone up from 7.9 million people in 2019 to 12.4 million during 2020, an increase of 50%. The causes are well known, the economic problems, the lack of employment opportunities, even the financial crisis in Lebanon and on top of all this the impact of COVID-19. What's really needed now is a major effort to avert further humanitarian suffering through emergency assistance, immediate short-term support targeting the most vulnerable, but longer-term programs are also urgently needed to strengthen the livelihoods and the resilience of the people. In the agriculture sector, critical for the Syrian economy, this means restoring production with targeted support for irrigation and agricultural inputs, training, grants for small-holder farmers and investment in food processing. These programs can provide a sustainable source of food and income, but a productive agriculture sector means so much more than that. It brings hope for the future and is vital for the peace and stability of rural areas of the country, for small holders to become self-sufficient, for people to live in dignity. With the continued support of the international community, FAO can help farmers to increase food availability in Syria and reduce the number of food insecure people.