Ministries approve Iraq’s winter agricultural plan

BAGHDAD, September 20 — Iraq’s Ministries of Water Resources and Agriculture announced on Wednesday the approval of an agricultural plan for the upcoming planting season, which will commence October 1 with the cultivation of more than 5 million dunams of land.

A statement from the Ministry of Water Resources said:

Minister of Water Resources, Engineer Aoun Diab Abdullah, and Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Abbas Jaber, chaired the joint coordination committee meeting between the two ministries to discuss the winter agricultural plan for the 2023-2024 season. The meeting included an overview of the country’s water situation, including the water levels in Iraqi dams and meteorological forecasts for the upcoming period. They agreed to approve an agricultural plan starting on October 1, 2023, as follows:

• Cultivation of 1.5 million dunams using surface water
• Cultivation of 4 million dunams using groundwater

Additionally, they recommended the two ministries cooperate to ensure the success of the agricultural season, the use of modern farming techniques, and the prevention of any violations of various types. The meeting was attended by several officials from both ministries.