Iraq's agricultural landscape: Overcoming challenges amid water scarcity

Shafaq News / The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture announced on Friday a surge in agricultural crop production and some exports despite the water scarcity crisis, which constitutes the "primary challenge" to sustaining, continuing, and developing the agricultural sector in Iraq. Experts in the field emphasize that "the agricultural sector is facing significant deterioration, with drought threatening the upcoming season."

In recent years, Iraq has become one of the top five countries most affected by climate change worldwide, leading to a 70% drying of agricultural lands and the displacement of their residents to urban areas. Additionally, wetlands have dried up, and rainfall levels have decreased.

This has been compounded by the mismanagement of successive governments in addressing the water crisis and the failure to take action against upstream countries such as Turkey and Iran, which have constructed dams that have significantly impacted water reserves and consequently the agricultural plan, which heavily relies on water abundance.

Notably, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani affirmed in March 2023 that seven million Iraqis have been affected by climate change.

On the other hand, the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture announced on Friday a rise in agricultural crop production and even some exports despite the water scarcity crisis, which represents the "primary and most significant challenge" to the sustainability, continuity, and development of the agricultural landscape in Iraq. Mohammed Al-Khuzaai, spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, informed Shafaq News Agency that "the ministry has implemented several measures to address the water scarcity crisis."

Among these measures, Al-Khuzaai mentioned, "the shift towards desert lands relying on groundwater, with support plans for the 4-million-dunam winter wheat cultivation, providing substantial areas to compensate for lands directly irrigated from river water."

Furthermore, Al-Khuzaai added, "The Ministry's primary project and the government's most crucial initiative are the transition to modern irrigation technologies. Concrete steps have been taken, including significant financial allocations for purchasing sprinklers. Contracts with the Ministry of Industry amounted to 133 billion dinars, along with nine tenders totaling 250 billion dinars to equip the Ministry of Agriculture with sprinklers. Additionally, a loan of around 300 million euros has been secured from Austria's Power Company to purchase over 6,000 center-pivot sprinklers."

"Under the contract with the Ministry of Industry, preparations have begun through a lottery in several governorates including Nineveh, al-Anbar, Najaf, Karbala, Diyala, and Kirkuk. The project is ongoing and expanding according to the Ministry's readiness," Al-Khuzaai stated.

In June 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture announced the provision of interest-free loans, with repayment periods extended to five years, specifically aimed at farmers wishing to purchase modern irrigation systems for their agricultural lands.

Regarding agricultural crop production, Al-Khuzaai explained that "many crops have reached self-sufficiency and even surplus, leading to their exportation abroad, including tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, onions - at their peak - dates, and fodder."

He continued, "There has also been an increase in the production of other crops, contributing to reducing imports even in the fruit sector, indicating a rise in production operations due to the efforts exerted by the Ministry of Agriculture, its affiliated departments, and the efforts of Iraqi farmers."

Regarding the cultivation of "Amber Rice", Al-Khuzaai clarified that "the Mishkhab Research Station has succeeded in cultivating this important variety and has developed two new varieties: Garee and Yasmeen rice, through modern irrigation methods using sprinklers. This opens the door to generalize this experience in the upcoming season and to extensively cultivate this variety in the governorates of Najaf, Diwaniyah, and Muthanna."

Minister of Agriculture, Abbas Jaber Al-Maliki, announced on January 5th the successful cultivation of "Garee" rice variety using sprinkler irrigation system in the Mishkhab district, also known as the "City of Amber", within Najaf.

The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture had decided to ban rice cultivation for the 2022 and 2023 seasons consecutively due to the water crisis resulting from the scarcity of water supplies to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and the decline in rainfall due to the drought crisis affecting the region and Iraq specifically.

The Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources approved an agricultural plan for the winter season, considered the first of its kind in the country, relying mainly on groundwater to secure irrigation water amidst significant challenges related to the state's ability to provide modern irrigation systems, which are now sold to farmers at subsidized prices according to a plan aimed at reducing water consumption and abandoning traditional irrigation methods.

Furthermore, according to recent official data, the agricultural plan for the winter season 2023/2024 in Iraq relies on cultivating only 5.5 million dunums. The area cultivated using surface water (from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers) amounts to 1.5 million dunums, while the area cultivated using groundwater is around four million dunums.

Notably, Iraq possesses five million cubic meters of renewable groundwater, which can be replenished from rainfall, in addition to the undisclosed quantity of strategic reserves that, once utilized, cannot be replenished.

Challenges plaguing Iraq's agricultural sector:

The Iraqi agricultural sector is facing significant challenges, according to agricultural expert Adel Al-Mukhtar. These challenges include a water crisis, high production costs that do not compete with imports, and agricultural marketing issues.

Al-Mukhtar highlighted the ineffectiveness of longstanding government support for farmers and the ban on imports, stating that any market fluctuation would result in losses for the agricultural sector.

Consequently, several sectors have deteriorated, including livestock breeding, agricultural expansion hindered by marketing issues, and the prolonged dysfunction of agricultural aircraft. Agricultural guidance has also faltered, failing to fulfill its intended role, while orchards, especially those reliant on traditional irrigation methods, suffer amid the water crisis.

Al-Mukhtar warned that the ongoing drought, with forecasts indicating a historically severe summer ahead, will exacerbate rural-to-urban migration, further straining the agricultural sector.

Moreover, the "water war" waged by both nature and upstream countries has forced thousands of families to abandon their agricultural livelihoods and migrate to urban areas for alternative employment opportunities due to drought and water scarcity.

According to Ali Abbas Jihangeer, spokesperson for the Ministry of Migration and Displaced Persons, Iraq is among the countries significantly affected by desertification and water scarcity, particularly in southern regions and parts of the Middle Euphrates.

Jihangeer disclosed that desertification has led to the displacement of thousands of families reliant on agriculture and herding, with over 7,000 families registered in the database, primarily from Basra, Thi Qar, and Maysan governorates, now resettling in areas near cities.