by Hummam Sheikh Ali

HASAKAH, Syria, May 10 (Xinhua) -- For the first time in years, water is flowing again through parts of the Khabur River in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah, reviving fields that had long suffered from drought, war and neglect.

Across the surrounding plains, green wheat fields stretch toward the horizon, offering farmers a rare sense of optimism after years of conflict and economic hardship.

In Syria's traditional breadbasket, farmers walk through dense wheat crops nourished by one of the strongest rainy seasons in recent memory, hoping this year's harvest could mark the beginning of a broader recovery for the country's struggling agricultural sector.

Officials from Syria's agriculture authorities say around 92 percent of the country's planned wheat cultivation area has been sown this season, marking one of the highest planting rates in decades. Hasakah alone represents roughly 35 percent of the national cultivation plan.

"For us, when we compare implementation rates within the agricultural plans, this year's figures were very remarkable," said Saeed Ibrahim, director of agricultural economy and planning at Syria's agriculture authorities.

"We managed to reach a 92 percent implementation rate for the wheat crop," he said. "Compared with the past 20 years, this is considered one of the best implementation rates achieved for wheat production."

Yet even as the long-awaited rains finally arrive, they do little to wash away the farmers' lingering anxieties about soaring production costs, fickle wheat prices, and the uncertain future of agriculture in the region.

"One of the current difficulties is the real and clear increase in agricultural production costs, including the rising prices of fertilizers and seeds," Ibrahim said. "Farmers have been demanding support for agricultural operations so that wheat prices, if purchased by state institutions, are comparable to global market prices."

Another trace of sorrow comes from the dwindling number of farmers. Officials say years of war forced many to abandon their lands, and damaged infrastructure continues to block their return.

"As a result of the war and the displacement of farmers from their lands during previous years, many now require rehabilitated infrastructure in order to return," Ibrahim said.

Amid concerns about broader regional instability and its potential economic repercussions, Syrian agricultural officials also warn that prolonged tensions could further raise production costs.

"If the regional war continues beyond the foreseeable period, for more than 90 days, it will lead to an increase in agricultural operation costs, place additional burdens on farmers," Ibrahim explained.

"If I had 50 dunums of land, I would only cultivate 25," farmer Mohammad Hussein al-Ali from Shamouka village said. "Buying diesel at market prices, together with the rising costs of spare parts and agricultural equipment, makes farming no longer economically viable."

Despite the challenges, many farmers remain deeply attached to their land.

For older generations who endured years of drought and conflict, the return of green fields and flowing water represents more than economic recovery -- it is a sign that life may slowly be returning to Syria's countryside.

Beyond the hope for a good harvest, the farmers harbor another wish: more young people might return to their villages, breathing new life into the region's agriculture.

"If young people are to return to farming, to their families and their villages," al-Ali said, "the government must give them a reason to stay. That means providing diesel, seeds, and equipment, so they can work productively on their own land, rather than leaving the country to seek work elsewhere."

"Only when the young return will this land truly find the hope to heal," he murmured, watching the wheat sway across the lush, emerald fields. ■