Source: World Food Programme
BAGHDAD – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a generous contribution from the Italian Government through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) to strengthen community resilience and empower women through green opportunities, to address the challenges climate change poses to agriculture and food security in Iraq.
WFP will work together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment to empower local communities in food security and climate action decisions. WFP will also provide capacity building and technical expertise to local government authorities, helping them implement sustainable farming and livelihood solutions that can withstand climate challenges.
This project takes an innovative approach to support vulnerable women-led households, crisis-affected people, and smallholder farmers. It aims to help communities become more adaptable and resilient to climate change shocks by promoting inclusive coordination, active participation, and income-generating activities with a focus on empowering women, youth, and persons with disabilities. The project will be implemented in Ninewa, Salah al-Din, Thi-Qar, and Basra.
Iraq’s agricultural sector is one of the main sources of income for vulnerable populations and the second-largest contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) after oil revenues. More frequent droughts and continued water scarcity are increasing challenges to farmers who face reduced crop yields and loss of arable land, leading to an overall decline of agriculture in Iraq.
“Iraq, ‘the land of two rivers,’ faces a serious problem with water scarcity, desertification, rising temperatures and other climate impacts that heavily affect its agriculture and, in turn, its food security. WFP is committed to working with the Government of Iraq to support local governments and communities in developing scalable and sustainable climate-smart solutions that not only address those issues, but enable the people to adapt and overcome them,” said WFP Representative and Country Director Mageed Yahia. “To build long-term resilience, it is essential to involve all members of the community—especially women, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups—in decision-making processes that support food security and sustainable livelihoods.”
WFP will partner with the Government of Iraq, academia and a number of Italian experts to provide technical solutions, equipment and expertise, fostering innovative ecosystems that draw from the extensive experience on providing technical capacity building to public institutions and national organizations.
Collaboration with the private sector and academia will help drive innovative and sustainable solutions to empower women in agriculture. This includes improving food production, processing, storage, and distribution, as well as promoting responsible farming practices, diverse income opportunities, and reducing waste. The project also focuses on the connection between agriculture, energy, and the environment to create lasting change.
“Climate change poses significant risks to Iraq’s agricultural sector, threatening livelihoods and food security all over the Country, and especially for women-led households” highlighted H.E. Niccolò Fontana, Ambassador of Italy to Iraq. “Various regions across Iraq face the harsh realities of water scarcity, land degradation, and rising temperatures. This project directly addresses these challenges by promoting green skills and expanding the private sector workforce, enhancing agricultural value chains, supporting women’s entrepreneurship in climate-resilient sectors. Italy is proud to commit to fostering a green transition that will benefit not only the environment, but also the population, empowering their communities and nurturing sustainability.”
WFP will continue working with the Government of Iraq to support communities affected by climate change by aligning its project implementation with the Government’s priorities, particularly focusing on the addressing unemployment, improving water management in irrigation to drive up production and empower women to seek and maintain sustainable livelihoods.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
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