Boubki\u2019s story is a microcosm of the broader situation in Syria, which has topped the Global Conflict Risk Index since 2022 as the most drought-prone<\/a> country in the Mediterranean. But even as the country suffers an acute water crisis, thousands of cubic meters of groundwater are flowing into the global market in the form of olive oil, an export that represents both national pride and a silent depletion of resources.<\/p>\n\n\n The Standard Differential Vegetation Index (SDI) measures green vegetation cover. It is a measure of vegetation health based on how plants reflect light at specific wavelengths. The map shows high vegetation activity in irrigated and river basins between August 1 and November 11, 2025, reflecting the varying availability of agricultural water across different areas. (Copernicus Maps)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Ministry of Agriculture anticipates<\/a> an average to low olive season in 2026: at most 412,000 tons of olives yielding an estimated 65,000 tons of oil. At the level of domestic Syrian consumption alone, this amount is less than the annual average of an estimated 2.6 kilograms<\/a> per person, according to the International Olive Council. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This investigation examines the water loss associated with olive oil exports from Syria, exploring how oil has become an undeclared carrier of water out of the country, even as towns and villages struggle to secure their daily needs for drinking and agricultural water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This investigation relies on the concept of \u201cvirtual exported water,\u201d which refers to the amount of water used to produce goods exported outside a country\u2019s borders, to highlight the relationship between agricultural trade and water security. It seeks to address the question: How can economic activity contribute to the depletion of national water resources?<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/scm.bz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/\u062e\u0631\u064a\u0637\u0629-1.jpg\")
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