Important Facts of the News
- Funding: US$20.2 million grant from Green Climate Fund
- Co-financing: Government of Iraq
- Total beneficiaries: 800,000 people
- Direct beneficiaries: 207,000 people
- Training areas: Efficient irrigation, sustainable farming, renewable energy
- Focus: Water-efficient methods, climate-resistant crops, income for women and youth
- Agriculture employment: Nearly one-fifth of Iraq’s workforce
- Current crisis: Worst drought in history, water levels at five-year lows
- Government response: Postponed autumn and winter planting
A major effort to strengthen agriculture against harsh weather has begun in the southern parts of Iraq. The World Food Programme, supported by money from the Green Climate Fund, has started work to protect small farmers from long dry spells, shortage of water, high temperatures, and salt water moving inland.
The entire plan will reach around eight lakh people who face tough conditions due to shifting weather patterns. It seeks to create stronger ways of earning a living that can last through difficult times.
Training and Support for Farmers
More than two lakh individuals will get hands-on learning in modern ways to save water while growing crops, better methods to farm without harming the soil, and use of clean energy options. Farmers will learn to grow varieties that can survive dry weather and heat. Special help will go to women and young people to start new income sources.
All these steps should cut down crop failures and raise overall output. Local farm offices will also gain new equipment and knowledge to guide the larger farming population through future hardships.
Matching National Goals Amid Severe Drought
The work fits well with Iraq’s own plans to handle environmental issues. It arrives when the country battles its driest period on record, with rivers and reservoirs holding the least water in five years. Because of this, authorities have delayed sowing for the cooler seasons, hitting the farm sector hard. Close to twenty percent of all jobs in Iraq come from agriculture, making the drought a serious worry for many families.
Speaking on the effort, WFP’s acting head in Iraq, Amit Singh, pointed out how farming has always been central to the nation, but recent weather threats are weakening this support for countless households. He thanked the Green Climate Fund for the vital money that will allow farmers to stand up to rising climate dangers and help whole areas adjust and prosper.