InsidetheSyrianDustBowl

September5,2016

OnJuly15,2012,MahmoudSolhattheInternationalCenterforAgriculturalResearchintheDryAreas
(ICARDA)receivedthenewshedlongbeendreading:Syrianrebelfightershaddrawntooclosetothe
centersheadquartersnearAleppofortheboardoftrusteescomfort.Asthedirectorgeneralofan
organizationwith600employeesandanetexpenditureof$71millionin2014,hewasgoingtohavetoshut
mostoperationsdown.
TheuprootingoftheMiddleEastslargestagriculturalorganizationwasanominousearlywarningofthe
chaosthathassinceengulfedmostofSyria.Butitdidnotcomeasmuchofasurprisetotheemployeesat
ICARDAssprawling2,500acreresearchstationinthevillageofTelHadya.Asmembersofanorganization
chargedwithboostingfoodsecurityinSyria,theyknewthatoneoftheunderlyingcausesoftheconflict
thepooragriculturalconditionsthatfueledpopulardiscontentacrossthecountrywasnotgettingany
better.Foryears,theyhadwitnessedthehardshipofSyrianvillagersupclose,asextendedboutsoflow
rainfallcutcropyieldsandpushedfarmersofftheirland,whichultimatelyledsomeofthemtotakeuparms.

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Dinner,Drinks,andaNearFatalAmbushforU.S.Diplomats
PresidentSalvaKiirhasbeenfetedbytheWhiteHouse.Sowhyarehisgoonstryingto
killAmericanofficialsin
Afterthefirstyearwithoutrain,westartedtoseepeoplestrugglealot.Afterthesecond,therewas
desperation,anICARDAplantbreedersaid,speakingontheconditionofanonymityashesometimesstill
worksinSyria.Andafterthefourth,itwasntreallyasurprisetoseethemriseup.
Solh,too,sawsomeofthiscoming.Whatitdidwasthatitforcedmigrationfromruralareastocities,he
toldmewhenwemetattheorganizationstemporaryheadquartersinaresidentialapartmentbuildinginan
upscaleBeirutneighborhood.Withmoremigration,therewasmoreunemployment.Certainlyamongthe
young,therewasalotoffrustration.
Butin2012,afterthekidnappingoftwolabtechniciansbyalocalrebelgroup,alongwithanuptickin
skirmishesontheadjacenthighway,ICARDAsdeparturesuddenlytookonanewurgency.Theorganization
putpreviouslylaidevacuationplansintomotion,ferryingmorethan100expatagronomistsandhydrologists
toAlepposairportandflyingthemoutofharmsway.Syrianstaffthenhastilysetabouttransferringthe
stationsmostvaluabletechnologytotheirannexinthecitycenterwhilealsodispersingICARDAs400
sheepamonglocalfarmersforsafekeeping.Morethantwothirdsoftheflockwasstolenandeatenbefore
itstransporttonewpasturesinLebanoncouldbearranged.
Asthesituationcontinuedtodeterioratethroughthefallof2012,100remainingstaffmembers,allofthem
Syrians,hurriedtocompletethedrawdown.Theytooklastminutereadingsfordecadelongresearch
projectsandscouredtheblackmarkettosecuredieseltopowergeneratorsforthestationstreasuredseed
bank.
Whenrebelmilitias,includingtheSalafigroupAhraralSham,assumedtotalcontrolofTelHadyain2012,
thelastresearcherswereforcedtoleaveICARDAsheadquarters.LikemorethanhalfoftheSyrian
population,theyhavebeenscatteredacrossthecountryandintoneighboringstates.
Withthewarshowingfewsignsofabating,thereslittlesuggestiontheirtechnicalknowhowwillbeputto
useinrebuildingthecountryanytimesoon.
Withthewarshowingfewsignsofabating,thereslittlesuggestiontheirtechnicalknowhowwillbeputto
useinrebuildingthecountryanytimesoon.
Butsomeexpertsandformerstaffmembers,assessingICARDAspastactivities,wonderifthatmightnotbe
abadthing.TheprojectsthattheorganizationpursuedwithinSyriaincooperationwiththecountrys
governmentarenowearningthescrutinyofcritics.Anditsnotjusttheorganizationsmoraljudgmentthey
question,butalsoitsprofessionalcompetence.
ICARDAandtheAssads

Thereisplentyoftragedy,butalsosomeirony,inICARDAsforceddeparturefromSyria.Thereasonthe
organizationwasbasedthereinthefirstplacewasinlargepartbecauseHafezalAssad,thecountrys
longtimedictatorandfathertoBashar,hopeditwouldpreventacatastrophicdroughtofthesortthatisnow
fuelingthecountrysongoingwar.
FoundedattheheightoftheMiddleEastspopulationboominthe1970s,ICARDAsmandatewasto
improveagricultureinmarginalenvironmentsaroundtheworld,wherepoorsoilandwaterconditions
madelargescalecropproductiondifficult.Theorganizationoriginallyintendedtooperatefromacrossthe
borderinLebanonbutbeganfishingaroundforalternativebaseswhenthecivilwarstruckBeirutin1975.
TheelderAssad,keentoincreaseSyriasfoodproductionandtherebyinsulatehisregimefromexternal
pressures,madethefledglinggroupsuchanattractiveofferoflandtothesouthofAleppothattwoyears
lateritdidntfeelabletorefuse.
Today,ICARDAreceivesfundingfromarangeofstatesanddevelopmentgroups,includingtheAfghan
governmentandtheU.S.AgencyforInternationalDevelopment,tooperateindozensofcountriesaround
theworld.AtthetimeofitsflightfromitsSyrianheadquarters,ithadmorethan120projectsoutsideSyriain
progress,fromSudantoUzbekistan.
ButmuchoftheorganizationsattentionwasdevotedtoSyria.Evennow,thefinanciallystrickenauthorities
inDamascuspayICARDAitsannualduesofhalfamilliondollars.(Seniordirectorssaymoneyforprojectsin
theeasternMediterraneanisincreasinglyhardtocomebyasdonorsredirecttheirgivingtowardSyrias
refugees.)
AndtheorganizationdidassistSyriainearningareputation,untilrecently,astheregionsagricultural
powerhouse.Formorethanadecade,thecountrywasselfsufficientincerealsandhadbeenexporting
wheattoJordanandEgypt.Tomanyneighboringstates,whichregularlyspendlargesumsofmoneytobuy
foreignfoodstuffs,Syriaseemedthepictureofagriculturalhealth.
Butallwasntwell,andthemeasurestakentoturnSyriaintoanagriculturalpowerinthefirstplacehadalot
todowiththis.Thegovernmentsponsoredtheexpansionoffarmland,whichgrewfromabout1.5million
acresinthemid1980storoughly3millionacresby2000.Italsoalmostdoubledthenumberofwells,which
contributedtoarapidlyfallingwatertable.AttheTelHadyastation,ICARDArecordeda40meterdropin
localwaterlevelsbetween1984and2010.Whentherainsfailedstartingin2006,farmersturnedto
groundwaterforsupplementalirrigationastheyhadduringpastdroughtsbutfoundthatmanyofthewells
hadrundryorturnedsaline.
TheSyriangovernmentwasntblindtotheperilsoffastdepletingaquifersandmovedtotackletheoveruse
ofwellwater.Butsomeofitssolutions,whilelikelynecessaryfromapurelyenvironmentalperspective,only
contributedtoruralhardship.InMay2008,authoritiesinDamascusdramaticallycutdieselsubsidies,raising
thepriceoffuelfrom7Syrianpounds($0.14)perliterto25pounds($0.53)overnight.Formanyfarmers,
whoseincomehadalreadytankedwithreducedyields,theheightenedcostofoperatingtheirpumpsand
transportingtheirgoodstomarketwasthefinalstraw.
Everythingfromtheweathertothegovernmentwasbad,butaftertheoilprice[increase],wejustgaveup,
saidAhmedTalib,aformerfarmerfromthetownofBinnish,whichisabout5milesfromtheICARDAstation.

ThefactthatICARDAwasaclosepartneroftheSyriangovernmentasDamascuspursuedtheseunsound
policiesmeansitmustnowshoulderashareoftheblame,twomiddlerankingemployeesofthe
organizationsuggested.Perhapsitsseniordirectors,whoenjoyedcloserelationswithregimeofficials,could
havepushedtheirfriendstochangetack.
Itwasacultureofdeference,theICARDAplantbreedersaid.
Noonewaswillingtobebrave.
Noonewaswillingtobebrave.
MahmoudSolh,thedirectorgeneral,rejectsthisargument,insistingthatICARDAhadalimitedlocalremit
andthatitheldupitspartofthebargainforseveraldecadesbyhelpingboostoverallfoodproductionin
Syria.Thisiswhythegovernmentstillappreciatesus,hesaid.
Solhalsoacknowledges,however,thatthecountrysuseofwaterwasunsustainable.Thesituation,he
said,wasnotoptimal.
ICARDAhadgoodreasontobeworriedabouttheconsequencesofopposingtheSyriangovernment.
Ordinarycitizenswerefearfulofspeakingoutagainstagovernmentrenownedforitsintoleranceofdissent.
Internationalorganizationsseeminglyweretoo.
Ifyouaretoocritical,thentheywontcooperatewithyou,saidAdrianaBruggeman,ahydrologistatthe
CyprusInstitutewhopreviouslyworkedforICARDAinAleppofor11years.Syriawasourhost.Wewere
theirguests,andyoucantkeeponkickingyourhosts.
Asthewatersituationspiraledoutofcontrol,farmersverysoonalsofoundthemselvesbattlinganarrayof
botanicaldiseases,someofwhichagronomistsattributetoclimatechange.Anoutbreakofwheatstriperust,
whichstuntsplantgrowthandshrivelswheatgrains,killedoffmanycropsinnorthwestSyriaintheyears
priortothewar.Withskyhighpopulationgrowthraisingdemandforscarceresourcesbytheyear,no
mannerofinnovationscouldovercomethechallengingenvironment.
Poverty,climatechange,foodsecurity,[and]increasingpopulationsareallworseningatapacethatIthink
isfasterthantheratewecanmakeimprovements,saidHassanMachlab,ICARDAsLebanondirector.
TheresultforfarmerslikeTalibwastheirforcedexodusfromtheirhomes.TalibendedupinoneofAleppos
fastexpandingmigrantneighborhoodsin2010,beforetravelingsouthtoLebanonsBekaaValleywhenthe
warworsenedin2012.Thetownsidedwiththerebelsearlyintheconflictandwassubsequentlyheavily
shelledbygovernmentforces.Notentirelycoincidently,perhaps,BinnishisalsothehometownofAbu
MohammedalAdnani,theIslamicStatesformerchiefpropagandistwhowaskilledthisweek,andanumber
ofotherseniorjihadis.
SyriasBrainDrain
IfSyriaisevertorecoverfromawarthatshowsfewsignsofendingsoon,thelikesofICARDAwillbesorely
needed.Upto50percentofcitizensderivedatleastsomeoftheirincomefromagriculturebeforethe
uprising,andwithswathsofthecountrysirrigationinfrastructurenowcrippledandsomesoilsdenatured
fromwartimefarmingwithoutfertilizers,theruraleconomywillneedallthehelpitcanget.

Forthisreason,ICARDAhasworkedtomaintainapresenceinSyriathroughoutthewar.Severaldozen
employeeshaveremainedbehindatthegroupsAleppoofficesinthegovernmentcontrolleddistrict
ofAzamieh,wheretheykeepaneyeonICARDApropertyandparticipateinseveralagriculturalstudieswith
theirSyriangovernmentcounterpartsonthecitysoutskirts.
Ontheothersideofthebattlelines,theorganizationmaintainslooseconnectionswithvillagers,anumberof
whomkeeptabsonthestatusoftheTelHadyastationandreportbackthroughViber.Theyreoftenpaidin
cashbycourierswhocrossthefrontlineduringlullsincombat.ICARDAreceivedanexemptionfromthe
U.S.TreasuryDepartmenttoconducttransactionsinasanctionedcountry.
Aboveall,
ICARDAisintentonpreventingthedestructionofitspreciousseedbank
ICARDAisintentonpreventingthedestructionofitspreciousseedbank,whichwasbuilttomaintaingenetic
cropdiversityintheMiddleEastandcontains143,000deposits.Manyofitssamplesexistednowhereelsein
theworlduntil2012.Inamuchpublicizedrescueoperation,employeesdrovethroughthenightandoverthe
backroadsofnorthernSyriatodelivermorethan20,000unduplicatedgenesamplestotheTurkishborder.
And,sofaratleast,thenewsisgood,withthefacilitystillfunctionaldespiteintermittentelectricitysupply.
Despitesomelootingofthesheepthatsatnexttotheperimeterfenceandanumberofoldcars,theentire
stationappearstobelargelyundamaged.TelHadyahasavoidedthebruntofgovernmentairstrikes.Ali
Shehadeh,whomanagedtheseedbankandisthemostseniorofficialremaininginAleppo,saysthe
disparategroupsofrebelsthathaveexchangedcontrolofthefacilityoverthepastfouryearsappearto
understandtheseedbanksvalueandhaveleftituntoucheddespiteitsarrayofvaluableequipment.
Ithinktheinternationalmediaeffecthashelped,hesaid.Wehavetheimpressionthattheyknowhow
ithelpsSyriaandtheworld.
ButeveniftheconflictcomestoaclosesoonandTelHadyaremainssalvageable,ICARDAwonteveragain
operateinSyriaasitdidbeforethewar.Withatleastoneveterinarianstillmissinghisfateunknown
havingbeingkidnappedshortlyafterthetwoabductedlabtechnicianswerereleasedthememories
remaintoorawforsomeemployeestoreturn.Everythingthathashappenedalsobroughthometothe
seniormanagementthepitfallsofbasingalltheiroperationsinonelocation.Theyvesincedecentralized
theirworkandspreadtheirstaffaroundarangeofnewinstallationsfromMoroccotoEthiopiaandIndia.
Wewerenaive.Wethoughtitwouldbewar[for]maybeayearandthenwecouldcomeback,Solhsaid.
Butitwontbelikebefore.
Neither,itseems,willanythinginSyria.
LOUAIBESHARA/AFP/GettyImages
September5,20162:36pm

LastSaturday,inthefinalweekofwhatisusuallyasedateperiodofsummervacationforalmosteverybody
inUkraine,thecountrysbucolicsouthernOdessaregionexperiencedanominousandunusualboutof
ethnicviolence.
TheepisodehadnothingtodowiththesimmeringwarbetweenUkrainiansandproRussianseparatists.
Ithadtheairofsomethingmoreancient,andperhapsevenmoresinister:apogromagainstasmall
communityofRoma.
Ithadtheairofsomethingmoreancient,andperhapsevenmoresinister:apogromagainstasmall
communityofRoma.
TheviolencewastriggeredbythediscoveryonAugust27ofthebodyofayounggirl,variouslydescribedas
8or9yearsold,whopolicesaidhadbeenrapedbeforehermurder.Adaylater,a21yearoldRomaman
fromLoshchynivka,avillageofethnicRussiansandBulgariansthatalsohasatinyRomacommunity,was
takenintocustodyandchargedwiththehorrendouscrime.Inresponse,onlastSaturdayevening,an
enragedmobofyoungmenwentonanantiRomarampage,throwingstones,smashingwindows,burning
downahouse,anddesecratingproperty.Thankfully,therewerenoinjuries,astheRomahadalreadyfled
butthewidelysharedvideosoftheepisodeledmultipleUkrainianobserverstodescribethesituationasa
pogrom,implyingviolencemotivatedbyethnichatred.
Theauthoritiesrespondedquickly.AfterlocalsdemandedthepermanentremovaloftheRomaaboutsix
familiescomprisingabout50individualsthevillagecouncilprovidedbusestotakethemaway.
Immediatelyaftertheviolence,thegovernoroftheOdessaregion,formerGeorgianpresidentMikheil
Saakashvili,dispatchedspecialpoliceunitsandparamilitariestothevillageunderthepersonalcommandof
hispolicechief.

Butitwasanotherelementofthegovernorsreactionthatmosttroubleddomesticandinternational
observers.IncommentsdirectlyaftertheincidentandagainafterthegirlsfuneralonWednesday,
Saakashvilimadepublicstatementswhich,inatensesituation,arehardtoseeasanythingbut
inflammatory.IfullysharetheoutrageoftheresidentsofLoshchynivka,hesaid,addingthatinthevillage
therewasarealdenofiniquity,thereismassivedrugdealinginwhichtheantisocialelementsthatlive
thereareengaged.Weshouldhavefundamentallydealtwiththisproblemearlierandnowitssimply
obligatory.
SaakashvilisappointmenttothegovernorshipoftheOdessaregionjustoverayearagowasmetwithgreat
excitementandengenderedhopesthathecouldemulatehisearliersuccessasademocraticreformerinhis
nativeGeorgia.
Thegovernorisoftenviewedasmodern,progressive,andevenhip.
Thegovernorisoftenviewedasmodern,progressive,andevenhip.PriortohisreturntothePostSoviet
worldinMayof2015,theNewYorkTimespublishedanamusingportrayalofhishipsterlikeexilein
Brooklyn.Heisalmostuniversallycharacterizedasaprincipledanticorruptioncrusaderwhoisattemptingto
makeUkrainesEuromaidanrevolutionproduceresultsinthesouthofthecountry.But,inthefaceof
stonewallingbylocalandnationalauthorities,hisresultshavebeenmixed.Andafterwastingtimeand
politicalcapitalthisspringcrisscrossingthecountryandforgingamovementforreforminmisplaced
expectationsofearlyelections(thesedidnothappen),hehasnowrefocusedhisenergiesoncreatinglocal
infrastructure.HisprojectsincludechampioninganewhighwaytoRomaniaandfinalizingconstructionofa
longstalledsecondterminalforthelocalairport.
YetSaakashvilisungraciousandevendangerousresponsetolastweekendstragicincidentinaregionwith
freshhistoricalmemoryofethnicstrifehighlightsadifferentsideofhischaracter.Hisinflammatoryrhetoricin
adelicatemomentwasnotbefittingofaWesternizingreformer.
CommentsofferedbySaakashvilisofficialswerenolessrevealing.Wemustrespectthepresumptionof
innocence,saidZurabHvistani,aspokesmanfortheOdessaregionsinteriorministry,butitismerelythe
constitutionofafactthateveryUkrainianandOdessanonthelevelofordinarylifeunderstandsthat
membersoftheRomacommunityareinvolvedinthedrugtrade.Localvillagershaveindeedbeenquoted
complainingaboutariseincrimesincethearrivaloftheRomafamilieswhich,ofcourse,canofferno
justificationforvigilanteviolence.
HvistaniwasinsistentthattheRomawerenotbeingforcedtoleavethevillageagainsttheirwill.He
describedtheirvoluntarydepartureasanimplicitadmissionoftherealitythatfurtherpeacefulcoexistence
withtheirUkrainianneighborswouldbeimpossible.HealsodeclinedtoprovidethelocationwheretheRoma
familieswouldbemoving.
Meanwhile,RomaorganizationshavefileddirectappealstointeriorministerArsenAvakov ,astaunch
Saakashvilliopponent,decryingtheviolenceandnotingthatthestatesfailuretoprotecttheRomastandsin
directcontradictionwithitsstatedgoalsofbuildingtheruleoflawinUkraine.
Theepisodecouldntcomeataworsemomentforthecityandregionalgovernment.
Theepisodecouldntcomeataworsemomentforthecityandregionalgovernment.Odessaiswidely
viewedasthefavoritecandidatecitytohostthe2017Eurovisionsongcontest,forwhichitiscompetingwith

KievandDnipro.Thewinnerisexpectedtobeannouncedinthecomingweeks,andtheprospectisseenas
soimportanttothecitysfuturethat,justadayafterthekilling,Saakashvilliandhisswornlocalenemy,
OdessamayorGennadyTrukhanov(whomhehasrepeatedlyreferredtoasaseparatist,bandit,andthief)
hostedajointpressconferenceinsupportofthebid.Itwasthefirsttimethatthetwohadappearedtogether
inpublicinalmost15months,thoughOdessaseliteshavesincebecomeaccustomedtoseeingthetwo
menmillingaboutatoppositesidesofbanquethallsandofficialgatherings.
Thetwomensunlikelytruceisevidencethatthisepisodeofsectarianviolencemightendangerthecitysbid
forEurovisionglory.Andthat,incombinationwithhisfrustrationbytheslowpaceofhisattemptedreforms,
iswhatmayhavepromptedSaakashvilitoadoptastrikinglypopulisttoneinresponse.Thoughtheincident
maybeviewedasarandom,itis,infact,ademonstrationoftherelativefragilityofthesocialcompactinthe
ethnicallydiverseregion.Saakashvilisresponseoffersanunflatteringpictureofagovernormanyhad
hopedwouldhelpOdessaandisparticularlytroublingsinceheremainstheonlyforcelikelytoofferthe
regionanymeaningfulreformsforyearstocome.
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