Al-Muthana Hasan al-Shoufi, 53, collects cow dung to use later as heating fuel during the harsh winter in Syria on Jan. 23, 2022.Photo:Xinhua

As heating fuel has become out of reach for many Syrians because of the US economic sanctions and its control over key oil fields in the country, farmers in the southern province of Sweida now resort to cow dung as an alternative to survive the harsh winter.

In the town of Shannireh in the countryside of Sweida, 53-year-old Al-Muthana Hasan al-Shoufi is one of those who had to make the change.

At the barn behind his house, al-Shoufi collected the dung from underneath the cow and then put it in a metal stroller. Batch after batch, the dung was then delivered to a large space behind the barn to dry off in the sun, before being cut into manageable blocks and shoved into a stove inside the house.

Thanks to the cow dung, his wife can heat the stove and cook for the whole family. Besides the mealtime, the family members sometimes gather around the stove to enjoy the warmth and wait for their hot tea or coffee.

"Almost since the beginning of the crisis, we have started using the cow dung in winter for heating and other household needs, such as hot water and cooking," al-Shoufi told Xinhua.

The sturdy man said the cow dung was something his ancestors had used and now has come in handy amid the soaring fuel prices and insufficient electricity at home.

Al-Shoufi also sells cow dung to other people who don't own cows. But for relatives, it is offered free of charge.

"I have a daughter who majored in pharmaceutics and graduated this year. If I had bought the heating fuel, I would not have helped her complete the study," he said, adding his other two children are also college students and hence "everything saved can help the children finish their higher education."

Even if the fuel becomes available in the future, he would still use the cow dung as it is "eco-friendly and comparatively cheaper," the Syrian man noted.

The fuel shortage following the Syrian war has compelled people to find alternatives, including olive pomace, firewood, pistachio shells, and other natural resources.

The Syrian government has repeatedly blamed unilateral US sanctions for the deterioration in the livelihood of the Syrian people. In July 2021, the price of subsidized fuel was raised by 177.7 percent. According to the government's statement, the hike was due to the surging global fuel prices and Western sanctions.

Al-Muthana Hasan al-Shoufi, 53, collects cow dung to use later as heating fuel during the harsh winter in Syria on Jan. 23, 2022.Photo:Xinhua

 

Al-Muthana Hasan al-Shoufi, 53, and his family use cow dung as heating fuel in Sweida, Syria, on Jan. 23, 2022.Photo:Xinhua

 

Al-Muthana Hasan al-Shoufi, 53, and his family use cow dung as heating fuel in Sweida, Syria, on Jan. 23, 2022.Photo:Xinhua