With high-level attendance, Iraqi Government and FAO conducted GCF-funded SRVALI project inception workshop

At the high-level inception workshop in Baghdad, the Government and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) officially kicked off the initiative to address the country’s pressing climate, water, and food security challenges. 

The hybrid-format workshop brought together key partners to launch efforts to help Iraqi farmers adapt to climate change and safeguard their livelihoods.

With investments amounting to $39 million, including co-funding from the Government of Canada, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), and the Government of Iraq, the SRVALI project aims to directly benefit rural households in the governorates of Karbala, Najaf, and Muthanna, where communities are increasingly affected by drought, land degradation, and water scarcity.

Eng. Hussein Baka, Technical Deputy of the Ministry of Water Resources, stressed that “water scarcity is at the heart of Iraq’s climate crisis.” Highlighting the importance of collective action, he said, “Through this project and our collaboration with FAO and international partners, we aim to improve water efficiency, modernize irrigation, and ensure the sustainable use of our shared water resources.”

Dr. Jassim Al Falahi, Technical Deputy of Iraq’s Ministry of Environment, stressed that “Climate change poses one of the greatest threats to Iraq’s ecosystems and natural resources.” He noted that Iraq’s priority is “to safeguard these resources while advancing policies that protect people’s livelihoods and strengthen resilience across rural communities.”

“The SRVALI project offers concrete, climate-resilient solutions,” noted Kaveh Zahedi, FAO’s Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment. “Through our partnership, we’ll reach nearly 2 million people and channel investment into actions that enhance water distribution systems, scale solar energy in rural infrastructure, and strengthen water governance while empowering women as agents of change.”

Other participants echoed the need to build shared ownership and a shared vision of a climate-resilient and food-secure Iraq, including the Director General of Forests and Desertification Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Bassam Kanaan; GCF’s Regional Manager for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region, Amgad Elmahdi; Senior Land and Water Officer, for FAO’s Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (FAORNE) and Delivery Manager of the Regional Initiative on Water Scarcity, Mohammad AlHamdi, and the FAO Iraq Representative, Salah El Hajj Hassan. 

The workshop was also attended by senior officials from line ministries, the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee, the National Directorate of Iraqi Women, local government representatives from targeted governorates, as well as representatives from UN agencies, donor partners, embassies, delegations, farmers’ associations, and FAO Iraq and RNE teams. Their joint participation reflected a shared recognition of the urgent challenges Iraq faces as one of the most climate-affected countries in the Near East, where water scarcity, desertification, and extreme weather increasingly put rural livelihoods at risk. 

Through SRVALI, FAO and the Government of Iraq will work directly with vulnerable communities to improve water efficiency by rehabilitating irrigation canals, introducing modern irrigation technologies, and strengthening local water governance systems. It will also promote climate-smart agriculture, expand renewable energy use, and promote inclusive solutions with a strong focus on women’s participation while advancing national policies for sustainable resource management. 

“This project represents a crucial step in supporting Iraq’s efforts to adapt to climate change, protect rural livelihoods, and strengthen food security,” said Salah El Hajj Hassan. “Together with our partners, we will build resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for future generations.”

Joining online, Amgad Elmahdi underlined that this milestone represents Iraq’s first GCF-funded project, reflecting the Fund’s commitment to building resilience through investments in water, energy, and agriculture.
Over the course of the workshop, the FAO team presented the project’s technical components, plans, frameworks, and safeguards.

This inception workshop laid the foundation for translating SRVALI’s vision into action to ensure that vulnerable farmers are protected from climate impacts and empowered to thrive in a more resilient, sustainable agricultural sector. 

This project contributes directly to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).