Najaf’s implements modern irrigation equipment in desert areas

NAJAF, August 7 — The Agriculture Directorate in Najaf announced the cultivation of parts of the badia and desert regions, extending to Karbala, during the past winter season, utilizing modern irrigation sprinklers.

Thamer Al-Kilabi, Technical Assistant to the Director of Agriculture in Najaf, stated to the Al-Sabah official newspaper, as reported by 964, that “in recent years, the desert areas in the west of the governorate have witnessed the use of pivot irrigation to cultivate winter wheat, resulting in significant success in reducing water consumption and increasing the productivity of dunams.”

He also pointed out that “the Directorate aims, through the expansion of cultivation of strategic crops in the desert areas, to compensate for the decrease that occurred in the clayland areas included in the agricultural plan due to water scarcity, low rainfall, and water flows in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers from the upstream countries.”

Al-Kilabi clarified that “the total number of modern irrigation sprinklers has reached 187 so far, including 140 sprinklers provided to beneficiaries through modern irrigation technologies project under the Ministry of Agriculture. There are also 47 sprinklers that farmers have purchased from the private sector.”

He added that “the Agriculture Directorate in Najaf has received 900 requests from farmers so far and has forwarded them to the Ministry for the purpose of equipping them with modern irrigation systems.” He concluded by affirming that “the Directorate is working to facilitate administrative procedures to expedite the provision of these systems to farmers in collaboration with the branch of the Agricultural Equipment Company in Najaf.”