Agriculture Ministry says planting initiative to top 8.7 million trees

BAGHDAD – Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture said Tuesday that more than 8 million trees have been planted under the national tree-planting initiative, with the program structured around five strategic goals. The ministry emphasized the importance of adopting modern irrigation methods to ensure the effort’s sustainability.

Deputy Minister Mahdi Saher Al-Jubouri told the Iraqi News Agency that the initiative originated from a 2023 pledge by Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani at the Basra Climate Conference. “The Ministry of Agriculture was tasked with leading the national tree-planting initiative as the main sectoral body responsible for protecting and developing vegetation cover,” he said.

Al-Jubouri said the campaign was being carried out in coordination with other ministries, governorates, and government bodies, under the supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office. He said about 8.7 million trees had so far been planted or distributed by the ministry and other government entities.

“The initiative positively reflects on Iraq’s environment and citizens by providing a better climate, reducing pollution, adding beauty to cities, and maintaining environmental balance between people and pollutants from factories and plants,” he said. “The number of trees planted achieves this environmental balance.”

Al-Jubouri urged public involvement in maintaining the results of the campaign. “We call on citizens, civil society organizations, and government offices, particularly municipal authorities and Baghdad Municipality, to sustain these trees by providing continuous irrigation with the latest methods and protecting them from any violations for a more beautiful Iraq,” he said.

In August, the Baghdad Municipality said it will launch its largest tree-planting campaign in the fall as part of a nearly complete green belt project to curb dust and sandstorms. Spokesperson Uday Al-Jundeel said the plan uses treated wastewater for irrigation and will cover 940 dunams between Al-Mansour and Abu Ghraib, with one million trees also planned for the former Al-Rasheed military camp. The project includes public spaces, smart irrigation, and expanded green areas along Abu Nuwas.

On Aug. 20, 2024, the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture said it had planted more than 6.4 million trees across the country in 18 months, exceeding the original five million target set by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani. The campaign, launched in March 2023 during the “Iraq for Climate” conference in Basra, is part of wider measures to address climate change.