Promoting sustainable agriculture

European experts urge Iraqi marshland farmers to adopt green fodder for healthier buffaloes

BASRA — European agricultural experts, in collaboration with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, are encouraging buffalo farmers in Iraq’s southern marshlands to switch from dry straw to green fodder like maize to enhance livestock health and productivity. This initiative was spotlighted during a “Field Day” event in Al-Huwayr, north of Basra, which gathered buffalo breeders and fodder crop farmers at a maize farm to promote sustainable feeding practices.

The event emphasized the nutritional benefits of yellow maize, valued for its rich green biomass and suitability as a high-quality feed for buffaloes.

“We named this event ‘Field Day’ to encourage a shift in animal feeding practices and promote green fodder over dry feed such as bran and flour,” said Maha Mehdi Yassin, an agricultural advisor with FAO, speaking to 964media.

“Dry feed contributes to muscle and fat formation in animals, while green feed leads to healthier livestock and better-quality meat,” Yassin added. “Through Field Day, we connected yellow maize farmers supported by FAO with other farmers, inspiring them to cultivate maize and encouraging livestock breeders to adopt it as feed.”

Buffaloes play a vital role in the livelihoods of marshland communities, providing milk, meat, and dairy products integral to their diets and incomes. Beyond their economic importance, these animals are emblematic of the cultural resilience of the marshlands, one of Iraq’s most unique ecosystems.

The initiative also aims to bolster local agriculture and livestock sectors. “The goal of this event is to support both farmers and livestock breeders to improve animal husbandry and develop the livestock sector,” said Aqeel Al-Hajjaj, Deputy Head of the Al-Huwayr Agricultural Department. He highlighted that Al-Huwayr is home to 70 maize farmers and 65 alfalfa farmers.