FAO Inception Workshop for a new EU-funded project to Support the Recovery of Agricultural Livelihoods in Nineveh

The workshop agenda included presentations on the main components of this project and expected impact for the sustainability of food production and agricultural livelihoods of rural and peri-urban population in Nineveh Governorate. This event coincides with the occasion of the World Food Day commemorates and the 74th anniversary of FAO establishment in 1945 where. FAO Iraq confirms its commitment to achieve zero hunger and support healthy diets and sustainable livelihoods.

This project is expected to support around 70 000 beneficiaries , as well as hundreds of government and non-governmental decision makers, service providers, facilitators/workers and unemployed labourers in the Governorate of Nineveh. It is in response to the large population movements, destruction of, and damage to water systems, irrigation facilities and other agricultural infrastructure, disruption of value chains and losses of personal assets, crop and livestock production and food supplies following the conflict with ISIL. The main interventions support vulnerable smallholder crop and livestock farmers with i) vegetable production and marketing systems; ii) small-scale agri-food processing, marketing and micro-enterprise systems; and iii) improved small-scale dairy processing and marketing systems; iv) efficient irrigation water use and management measures and technology; v) increased availability of quality cereal and legume seeds; and vi) improved small-scale animal fodder production, conservation and marketing systems.

In his welcoming address, Dr. Salah ElHajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq thanked the EU for the kind support and all the participants for their valuable time and contributions to the planning of this project. He also expressed FAO readiness to fully cooperate with the local government, Ministry of agriculture and farmers for the development of the sector in Nineveh governorate. He said “this project will support the recovery of agriculture livelihoods through the revitalization of food production, value chains and income generation in the governorate. Farming families in Nineveh will benefit from this EU contribution to FAO for the reintegration and support to returnees and rural livelihoods”.

Dr. Zuhair AlAraji, Deputy Governor of Nineveh highlighted the importance of such programs to the highly vulnerable farmers in rural areas of the governorate, he said “we thank the EU and FAO for this important and strategic project in Nineveh governorate post the conflict with ISIL, where the agriculture infrastructure has been destroyed and the farmers abandoned their land and livestock due to military operations and instability“.

Dr. Hussein Ali Saud, Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture for Livestock activities said “FAO is a key partner to the Ministry of Agriculture, we appreciate the efforts made by the organization to accomplish and integrate food security and agriculture sustainability in Iraq in general and in Nineveh in particular”.

The event was concluded with a discussion on the geographical scope of the project components and beneficiary selection criteria and contribution, roles and responsibilities of its partners and future work plan.