Shafaq News – Baghdad

Escalating climate challenges pose a direct threat to Iraq’s food and social security, a senior official told Shafaq News.

According to MP Zozan Koger, a member of Iraq’s Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Water, the country has incurred heavy losses from climate change and dwindling water resources, with severe impacts on livestock and agriculture, particularly across the southern provinces.

“Nearly 40% of Iraq’s population depends on farming, fishing, and livestock breeding for their livelihoods, making these communities the most at risk as droughts intensify, salinity increases, and fish and livestock die off,” Koger added.

On agriculture, which consumes around 80% of Iraq’s water supply, she noted that nearly 70% of the country’s remaining farmland is now threatened by desertification and drought.

Earlier, Iraqi authorities warned that the country could lose up to 20% of its water resources by 2035 due to climate change, upstream dam projects, and aging infrastructure.

The United Nations estimated in 2024 that nearly 7 million Iraqis are already affected, while 90% of the country’s rivers have experienced reduced flow.

Read more: From drought to saltwater: Iraq's deepening water crisis