A High-Level Mission from the Delegation of the European Union to Iraq visited FAO’s Activities in the Southern Marshlands (AL-Ahwar)

Since the early hours of Wednesday morning (9 February 2022), the delegation visited the areas Al-Deir and Al-Qurna  in Basra Governorate and the Al-Chabyish marshes of Dhi-Qar Governorate in southern Iraq. The mission was headed by Agne Gleveckaite, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation - Head of Political Section and Barbara Egger, Head of Cooperation, while the FAO staff consisted of René Verduijn, Chedly Kayouli and Michelle Palacios as well as FAO National Staff from FAO Office in Basra and Local Extension Staff from Ministry of Agriculture.

The main objective of the visit was to meet with project partners and to observe what FAO has achieved on the ground, especially as  regards  the livestock sector, through the activities of the project "Restoration and strengthening the resilience of agri-food systems in Southern Iraq" funded by the European Union and implemented by FAO in close cooperation with the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture - Directorates of Agriculture in (Basra, Maysan and Dhi-Qar).

Firstly, the mission visited a milk collection and processing center (Umm Hayder), 55 km from the center of Basra Governorate. Visitors observed the traditional method using old utensils for processing large amounts of milk into geymar, yoghurt and local cheese. Then they had the opportunity to see the new site in the same center, which was equipped with hygienic stainless steel dairy equipment through the support of the project. This also included practical training of women’s groups on the use of this equipment for handling and processing improved traditional dairy products;  along with the introduction of new varieties of dairy products such as Halloumi cheese, Labneh, Akkawi cheese and Ricotta,  which are imported from neighboring countries.  The project partners have now started processing these new products in southern Iraq alongside  local products.

Then, the visiting delegation moved to two other  processing centers (Um Muqtada and Umm Murtadha) and were briefed on how the project supports them with milk hygienic equipment for milk pasteurization, butter churn, filters and other stainless-steel tools, which facilitate  and alleviate the work of rural women in processing their traditional dairy products.

Afterwards, the delegation visited the Marshes of Al-Chabayish in the province of Dhi- Qar and learned about the challenges of Umm Karar who collects milk from buffalo breeders in the marshes which is transported from inside the marshes by boat and then transported to Qurna for the purpose of processing and marketing of dairy products to Basra. Also the delegation inaugurated a sugar molasses distribution unit for buffalo breeders which improves livestock feeding, where producers are suffering from a shortage of feeds due to drought and high feed prices, which has led to the deterioration of the buffalo sector, which is one of the most important key assets of livelihood of livestock breeders in southern Iraq.

Finally, the visit, which was commended by the European Union delegation on observing the projects progress, ended with a field visit to a buffalo breeder inside the Al-Chabayish Marshes, where farmers explained the increasing mortality of their buffalo caused by poor nutrition due to the high prices of feeds and the water scarcity that critically affected the marshes as a result of the lack of upstream flowing water. Thus, the interventions by FAO, with the support of the European Union, and in cooperation with the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture  greatly support the livelihoods of  buffalo breeders in the marshes and contribute to safeguarding of this vital sector.