The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture has announced that the country has reached self-sufficiency in seven crops and is exporting 13 crops internationally.
Ministry spokesperson Mohammed al-Khuzai shared that despite water shortages, Iraq is enhancing its agricultural capabilities by cultivating desert lands, utilizing well water, and developing drought-resistant crop varieties.
The government has invested 830 billion IQD ($663 million) in over 12,000 modern irrigation systems, aiming to increase farmland by up to 1.5 million donums. These efforts, combined with awareness campaigns on water conservation, have led to a surplus in key crops such as wheat, and rice cultivation has expanded to 150,000 donums.
Iraq is now self-sufficient in seven agricultural products year-round and is exporting 13 crops, including dates, tomatoes, potatoes, and watermelon.
Al-Khuzai emphasized the government’s strong focus on agriculture, with a target of cultivating 30 million palm trees within the next three years.