UN Warns of Desertification Threat to Iraq’s Water and Agricultural Security

UN Warns of Desertification Threat to Iraq’s Water and Agricultural Security
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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that Iraq is facing severe environmental challenges, with over 27 million dunams (2.7 million hectares) of land already affected by desertification. Around 55% of the country’s agricultural land is at risk, raising serious concerns over food and water security amid a worsening water crisis.

Bassam Kanaan Abdul Jabbar, Director of Forestry and Desertification at Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture, stated that efforts are underway to implement a national plan focused on expanding agricultural zones in desert areas. Initiatives include afforestation with drought-resistant pistachio trees using drip irrigation powered by solar energy. Other strategies involve stabilizing sand dunes, planting salt-tolerant vegetation, and creating green belts to combat climate change.

Thair Mekheif, a member of Iraq’s Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Water, described drought as a threat comparable to terrorism. He blamed both climate change and upstream water policies, particularly Turkey’s reduction of Iraq’s water share. Mekheif urged the Iraqi government to escalate diplomatic efforts and form a non-sectarian, expert-led national water council to manage the crisis.

The Ministry of Water Resources is reportedly working to curb water quota violations, yet Mekheif warned that worsening shortages have shut down several water treatment plants in central and southern provinces, posing growing risks to public access to drinking water.