Groundwater transforms Iraq desert into farmland
Shafaq News- Al-Muthanna
More than 350,000 dunams* of desert land in Nugrat Al-Salman district, southwestern Al-Muthanna, have been brought under cultivation through over 4,000 agricultural contracts, relying mainly on groundwater, the head of the district told Shafaq News on Friday.
The agricultural expansion has significantly increased wheat production, with Nugrat Al-Salman now accounting for around 90% of Al-Muthanna's wheat output, highlighting the desert area's growing role in supporting the province's food security. According to Taklif Al-Ziyadi, agricultural investment also provides animal feed, helping increase livestock numbers and supporting pastoral activity, “an important source of income for communities living in the desert.”
Extending the national electricity grid to farming areas could significantly expand agricultural activity, allow farmers to cultivate more land, and reduce reliance on alternative energy sources to operate wells, pumps, and other agricultural equipment. Groundwater also serves nomadic Bedouin communities, who rely on wells scattered across the desert to meet their water needs.
In May, Al-Ziyadi stated that Nugrat Al-Salman had attracted 13 investment licenses for cement factories, with three plants already operating at an annual capacity of around six million tons each.
1 Hectare = 10 Dunams
Read more: Rooted in soil: An Iraqi farmer holds on as the land changes
