In pictures: Struggling Syrian farmer turns to tropical fern for fodder

To dodge skyrocketing prices for animal fodder in Syria's last major rebel bastion, farmer Ayman Ibrahim (above) has turned to an aquatic fern used as a fertiliser in Asian rice paddies.

Azolla, which looks more like a pond weed than a fern, is regarded as an invasive plant in much of the world but is used to feed livestock in parts of southeast Asia.

Ibrahim, a former tailor who took up farming in the rebel-held Idlib region after fleeing fighting in Syria's second city of Aleppo in 2016, says the plant has given him huge savings over traditional animal feeds like hay or silage.

Azolla aquatic ferns drying in the town of Kafr Takharim in Idlib province. Azolla is highly productive with the ability to double its weight in seven days, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Ibrahim feeds dried Azolla to his chickens. The plant is rich in proteins and has been used as a feed for cattle, fish and poultry in Vietnam; and for pigs in Singapore and Taiwan.

"We want Azolla to spread here," Ibrahim told AFP on his farm overlooking the town of Kfar Takharim. "The animals want to eat it," he said, scooping up Azolla weeds from a shallow pool using a kitchen strainer. "There is a big difference between offering them a green plant and dry feed."

The 25-year-old father of two started raising livestock in the Idlib region after he failed to find work as a tailor. But in the years since he started, the Syrian pound has plummeted in value, leading to sharp increases in the cost of imported goods.

Compounded by the coronavirus pandemic, the economic crisis has led food prices to increase by 249 per cent, plunging millions into hunger. The cost of animal fodder also rose sharply so Ibrahim embarked on a search for a cheaper alternative.

"After a year of researching on the internet, I found out about the water fern and was able to import it from Egypt via Turkey," he said.

Imported as live plants not as spores, Azolla was at first difficult to transport to Syria, especially since it can't survive long without water, Ibrahim said.

The first four shipments fell through, with the plants arriving dead. Ibrahim then reduced the size of his order and improved transport so that the plant could arrive before drying out.

His first 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of viable Azolla arrived last June. "We immediately planted them in the pools," where they have replaced 70 percent of the animal fodder he was previously using.

The cost of feeding his livestock has fallen from $300 a month to $100 at most.

Ibrahim feeds dried Azolla to his chickens.

Ibrahim is so satisfied with the results that he started selling his surplus Azolla production to other farmers. "I was surprised by the high demand," he said.