Senior Government and UN officials attend an Inception Workshop of FAO’s Project: “Restoration and strengthening the resilience of agri-food systems in Southern Iraq”

This project aims at contributing to the Iraqi economy by improving the agriculture sector in southern Iraq, creating sustainable job opportunities to the rural poor households and achieving a more resilient food system. More specifically, the project targets poor smallholder farmers and landless rural households in Basra, Missan and Thi-Qar Governorates and improve their agricultural productivity and income generation in priority value chains such as vegetables, dairy (buffalo), animal fodder, and date palm while enhancing land and water resources and bio-diversity. The project is managed and implemented by FAO in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Health and Environment and Ministry of Planning and local authorities.

Dr. Salah ElHajj Hassan - FAO Representative to Iraq – said: “I’m pleased to see more attention for the south, which is traditionally the poorest part of Iraq. Based on our work undertaken during the start-up phase, we see great potentials for economic growth and greater prosperity among farmers and micro enterprises. Let me take this opportunity to thank the EU for its generous financial support for turning these ideas into reality and to thank the line ministries partners in this project as well as local governments of the three-targeted governorates”. Dr. Salah confirmed that FAO will make all possible efforts with all partners to make real positive changes in the livelihoods of the targeted rural families, create more dynamics with the public and private sectors and enhance climate resilience by promoting sustainable value chain development practices.

After an initial project launch in Basra earlier this year, this workshop provides an opportunity for greater awareness among stakeholders of the proposed outputs and an opportunity to strengthen partnerships, and discuss complementarity with other projects that aim to strengthen agri-food systems in the country.

This project is part of the “EU Action Document for Support to Governance and Sustainable Job creation in Iraq.” Several international partners (FAO, GIZ, ILO, IOM, ITC, and UNESCO) are collaborating to improve selected value chains more holistically.

The Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Iraq, Ms. Barbara Egger, said: ”Addressing diversification of the economy and reducing unemployment are key priorities of the EU intervention in Iraq. This project is part of a wider EU programme approach that addresses several constraints along the agricultural value chain. With this approach, we will target key Iraqi institutions to improve their capacity to deliver public services, and also target the supply and demand dimension of sustainable job creation. the EU is proud to support the agricultural sector in the South of Iraq, and in particular the rural areas where unemployment is even higher than in urban areas and our support is dearly needed. ”.

Irena Vojáčková-Sollorano, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Iraq and Resident Coordinator, noted that she had recently met two Iraqi farmers – a husband and wife – in Basra. “Before, Ahmed and Zahraa were not able to produce tomatoes because of droughts and a lack of water. But now, thanks to this EU-funded FAO project, which uses greenhouses and new technology, they can produce enough tomatoes for their entire village.” She added, “The UN has increased its footprint in the south, because we recognize the region’s pressing needs. And we’re ready to step up and do even more.”

The workshop was followed by the Project Steering Committee endorsement of the work plan.