In order to improve food security, rural economic development, and foster more resilient communities in Iraq, small-scale farmers must be equipped with the knowledge to mitigate risks and adapt to the changing economic and environmental challenges.
Iraq is among the top five countries most affected by climate change. Primarily, increased extreme temperature events and changing rain patterns negatively impact farmers. Consequently, agricultural productivity and diversity have significantly decreased in the last decade. In addition, Russia’s war on Ukraine has aggravated the situation and revealed the dependence of Iraq’s agricultural system on imports of crops and chemical inputs.
In order to improve food security, rural economic development, and foster more resilient communities in Iraq, small-scale farmers must be equipped with the knowledge to mitigate risks and adapt to the changing economic and environmental challenges.
The Qudra 2 programme, and the local NGO Rwanga, will provide 80 farmers, from the two governorates of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja, including women, with a 45-day training programme as recommended by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA). Ten days will be practical training, and another ten days will be “Know-About-Business” training.
The training will cover practical solutions to challenges stemming from the current agricultural system and how to adapt to the changing climate while improving productivity.
The training will cover the following topics:
- Risks associated with the current agricultural system, e.g. monocropping, use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides
- Improved irrigation methods and rainwater harvesting
- Small and large animal systems; how to increase productivity and efficiency without the import of external inputs, such as raw materials and automated technological equipment
- How to improve soil health and soil fertility
In addition, a network between all beneficiaries will be established by conducting practical training on farmland belonging to large landowners.
The training is designed to respond rapidly to the global food crisis. It includes practical and business training sessions to ensure that the theoretical knowledge is understood and can be immediately put into practice, both on the farm and at the market.
When the training is complete, an experienced agriculture expert will follow up with each beneficiary and provide expert guidance to ensure that farmers can overcome any initial challenges.
The training design follows the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) guidelines and is thus approved for any future education or job opportunities. In addition, the training contents will be closely coordinated with the local Directorates of Agriculture (DoA).