Press Release

FAO and Partner continuous efforts to Strengthening Climate Resilience in Iraq: “Climate Wise Women" Initiative

10 March 2025

Najaf, Iraq – 9 March 2025

Under the patronage of His Excellency, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Abbas Jabr Al-Maliki, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), successfully concluded a three-day training under the “Climate Wise Women” Initiative in Najaf.

This initiative aligns with this year’s United Nations theme for International Women’s Day, " For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment." highlighting the critical role of rural women as agents of change in addressing climate challenges. By equipping them with essential skills and necessary tools, FAO enhances their capacity to adapt to climate

The training brought together 47 participants, including CWW Master Trainers (MTs), local facilitators, FAO technical experts, and government representatives, reaffirming Iraq’s commitment to women’s leadership in sustainable agriculture and climate action.

H.E. Dr. Abbas Jabr Al-Maliki, Minister of Agriculture, emphasized the importance of empowering women in rural communities, stating: "Rural women are at the heart of Iraq’s agricultural sector. FAO’s pioneering initiative, Climate Wise Women, which equips women with the skills and resources needed to build climate resilience, will strengthen Iraq’s position both regionally and internationally. This initiative aims preliminary to empower 1,500 women to become rural leaders—an essential step in ensuring food security and supporting sustainable agricultural systems. The Ministry of Agriculture fully supports this initiative."

Scaling Up FAO’s Capacity-Building Efforts – From Basra to Najaf

This training workshop is following the first one under "Climate Wise Women” initiative held in Basra, where CWW Master Trainers (MTs) initially received a TOT on climate-adaptive agricultural techniques. During this workshop, these trained women are now passing on their knowledge and acquired skills to local facilitators, ensuring the transfer of expertise and best practices at the community level.

The participants engaged in in-depth discussions on climate-smart agriculture and climate change adaptation, covering key topics such as sustainable major value chains development practices to improve income and food security, water-efficient agriculture for better irrigation and crop resilience, and early warning systems to enhance climate adaptation and risk reduction.

Additionally, the workshop included a review of field applications and practical interventions in climate-smart agriculture, making these tools and techniques available to trainees for the benefit of local communities. This approach fosters greater synergy between FAO’s various interventions, ensuring alignment, integration, and sustainability of climate-smart agriculture initiatives across Iraq.

Dr. Salah El Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq, highlighted FAO’s commitment to women-focused and responsive approach in climate action, stating: "Women’s empowerment in agriculture is fundamental to achieving climate resilience. Through this initiative, FAO is strengthening rural women’s capacity to implement climate-smart practices, aligning with our global efforts to build sustainable agri- food systems, leaving no one behind. The continuity of this training, from Basra to Najaf, is a testament to the long-term impact of FAO’s capacity-building programs and their role in strengthening local expertise and ensuring sustainability."

El-Hajj Hassan emphasized the importance of partnerships with government entities, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Water Resources, and the Ministry of Environment. He also expressed his gratitude and appreciation to H.E. the Minister of Agriculture for supporting this initiative and to the Swedish government for providing the necessary support.

Marking International Women’s Day – Women at the Forefront of Climate Action

Coinciding with the celebration of International Women’s Day 2025, FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture, in the presence of H.E. the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Abbas Jabr Al-Maliki, honored all participants of the "Climate Wise Women" workshop with commemorative shields, recognizing their role as leaders in climate adaptation and sustainable agriculture.

Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Climate Wise Women Initiative contributes to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land), reinforcing FAO’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive agricultural development in Iraq.

FAO, together with its partners, remains committed to supporting Iraq’s rural communities, enhancing women’s resilience, and fostering sustainable and climate-smart agricultural solutions for a food-secure future.

For more information, please contact:

Reem AlSadoon/ FAO Iraq Communications Assistant

reem.alsadoon@fao.org

Dr.Salah ElHajj Hassan/ FAO Iraq Representative

salah.elhajjhassan@fao.org

Salah Elhajjhassan

FAO

Representative

salah.elhajjhassan@fao.org

Mr Hajj Hassan, a national of Lebanon, holds a Ph.D. in Plant Production from the University of Agriculture, Damascus, Syria; a Master of Science degree in Plant Production and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering, both from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
He started his career in 1984, as Senior Research Assistant in the Agricultural Research and Education Centre (AREC), American University of Beirut. From 1987 to 1991, he was Coordinator of the Student Training Programme, and also Agriculture and Horticultural Teacher for the Faculty of Agriculture, at the Lebanese University.
From 1991 to 1995, he worked as Agricultural Engineer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Bekaa Regional Office, Zahlah and was then assigned to the Agricultural Research Institute in the Tal Amara station, first as Head of the Crop Production Department and subsequently in charge of the Plant Protection Laboratory. From 2002 to 2006, he was Director of the Kfardane Research Station (Agricultural Research Institute). In 2008, he became Visiting Scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) and Coordinator of a project with the International Centre for Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna.
In 2010, he served as Advisor to the Minister for Agriculture of Lebanon. In 2011, he became President of the Pesticide Scientific Committee, Head of the Phytoplasma Committee and Director of the Agriculture and Rural Development Programme (ARDP) (EU-funded project). From 2010 to 2013, he represented Lebanon in negotiations with EU, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq. During his career, Mr Hajj Hassan also carried out a number of other functions. He represented the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) in several research programmes with the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the American University of Beirut. He was Coordinator of the Mashreq/Maghreb project with ICARDA, representing Lebanon in the Steering Committee, as well as being the Head of the Sugar-beet Delivery and of the Wheat Delivery Committees. For a number of years, Mr Hajj Hassan worked for the preparation of FAO TCP projects and served as the National Director of a TCP project. He joined FAO in January 2014 as FAO Representative in Yemen. Mr Hajj Hassan succeeds Mr El Zubi as FAO Representative in Iraq.

UN entities involved in this initiative

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Goals we are supporting through this initiative