Southern Iraq faces severe soil salinity that threatens agricultural productivity, crop choices, and farmer livelihoods, driven by poor irrigation practices, intensive cropping, and declining water quality—risks that are worsening under climate change. This follow-up training will equip 27 Ministry of Agriculture extension officers to serve as Farmer Field School (FFS) facilitators on soil salinity management for sustainable agriculture. Trained officers will cascade the knowledge to 2,635 farmers in Thi Qar and Al Muthanna under the FAO–GEF project, promoting practical measures to reclaim and manage salt-affected soils and improve sustainable land and water management.
Southern Iraq lies within an arid and semi-arid zone, where soil salinity is a major constraint to agricultural productivity and food production. In arid environments, soil salinization is commonly driven by inappropriate irrigation practices, intensive cropping, and the use of poor-quality irrigation water, leading to rising salinity levels and, in some cases, the abandonment of farmland.
Soil salinity is also a growing climate-related concern, as changing climatic and hydrological conditions can intensify salt accumulation and intrusion. Increased salinity creates unfavorable soil and water conditions that directly reduce crop productivity and indirectly undermine household income, contributing to weaker socio-economic outcomes.
Salt-affected soils and saline irrigation water reduce plants’ ability to absorb water, resulting in stunted growth and lower yields. Over time, salinity may reach levels where only salt-tolerant crops can be cultivated, or land may drop out of irrigated production entirely. This limits crop options and may force some farmers to shift toward producing halophytic forage species. These impacts collectively threaten food security and rural livelihoods.
In Iraq, salinity has reduced the production potential of irrigated land by approximately 70%, with up to 30% of irrigated areas reportedly lost to production. It is estimated that 4% of irrigated land is severely saline, 50% moderately saline, and 20% slightly saline.
This training aims to strengthen the capacity of agricultural engineers and extension officers to adapt to and mitigate the effects of salinity on land productivity, supporting sustainable land management.
To deliver a follow-up training for 27 Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) Extension Officers, preparing them as Farmer Field School (FFS) facilitators on Soil Salinity Management for Sustainable Agriculture. Trained officers will cascade the knowledge by training 2,635 farmers across Thi Qar and Al Muthanna governorates under the FAO–GEF funded project.
27 Government of Iraq (GoI) Extension Officers trained on soil salinity management for sustainable agriculture.
Enhanced technical capacity to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of soil salinity on land productivity.
Improved adoption and scale-up of practices for the productive use and management of salt-affected soils to restore and enhance land productivity.
Farmers and project beneficiaries trained through FFS on practical approaches to reclaim salt-affected soils and improve sustainable land and water management.