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href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/feed/">Subscribe to RSS</a> </div> </div> <div id="header"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/">Gorilla’s Guides</a></h1> <h2>“The only thing these sand niggers understand is force and I’m about to introduce them to it.”</h2> <div id="search"><form method="get" id="searchform" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/"> <div><input type="text" value="" name="s" id="s"/> <input type="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="Search"/> </div> </form> </div> </div> <hr/> <div id="content" class="span-13 append-1"> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-13058"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/04/18/iraq-new-push-for-water-deals-with-turkey-syria/#respond" title="Comment on IRAQ: New push for water deals with Turkey, Syria">No Comments</a></span> Posted on April 18th, 2011 by Maryam</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/04/18/iraq-new-push-for-water-deals-with-turkey-syria/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to IRAQ: New push for water deals with Turkey, Syria">IRAQ: New push for water deals with Turkey, Syria</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/early-warning/" title="View all posts in Early Warning" rel="category tag">Early Warning</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/average-rainfall/" rel="tag">average rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/construction-of-dams/" rel="tag">construction of dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irin/" rel="tag">IRIN</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/river-euphrates/" rel="tag">river euphrates</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris/" rel="tag">Tigris</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-levels/" rel="tag">water levels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-resources/" rel="tag">water resources</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <blockquote><p>BAGHDAD, 18 April 2011 (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=92504" class="external" target="_blank">IRIN</a>) – Iraq is renewing efforts to reach deals with Syria and Turkey to increase water levels on the River Euphrates which flows from these two countries into Iraq, and on which Iraq is heavily dependent for agriculture and electricity generation. </p> <p>Turkey has tentatively agreed to increase water levels on the river to allow Iraq to reactivate the 400-megawatt Haditha hydroelectric power station, officials say. </p> <p>The deal – set to be concluded in two months’ time – could be part of a wider agreement with Turkey to import 200 megawatts of electricity, said a spokesman of the Iraqi Electricity Ministry, Musaab Al-Mudaris. </p> <p>An Iraqi delegation is heading to Syria later this week to try to strike a similar deal. In recent years water levels have steadily fallen on the Euphrates due to below-average rainfall and the construction of dams in Turkey and Syria. </p> <p>Iraq produces about 7,500 megawatts a day – less than half of current demand – and low water levels on the Euphrates (and the Tigris) have forced some hydroelectricity plants to reduce output or close. </p> <p>For many years Iraqi officials have been pressing Syria and Turkey to sign agreements specifying a fixed share of the water from these two rivers for Iraq, but no deal has been reached. </p> <p>“Iraq could experience more (water-related) problems, complexities and challenges unless it gets its fair share of water… Iraq faces great challenges in maintaining its wetlands and agricultural land,” said Ali Al-Alak, the Cabinet general secretary.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=92504" class="external" target="_blank">IRIN Middle East | IRAQ: New push for water deals with Turkey, Syria | Iraq | Economy | Environment | Urban Risk | Water & Sanitation</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11862"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/12/05/rudaw-kurdistans-parched-land-in-dire-need-of-rain/#respond" title="Comment on Rudaw: Kurdistan’s Parched Land in Dire Need of Rain">No Comments</a></span> Posted on December 5th, 2010 by Abdus-Samad</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/12/05/rudaw-kurdistans-parched-land-in-dire-need-of-rain/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Rudaw: Kurdistan’s Parched Land in Dire Need of Rain">Rudaw: Kurdistan’s Parched Land in Dire Need of Rain</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture/" rel="tag">Agriculture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/biyare-district/" rel="tag">Biyare district</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/choman-district/" rel="tag">Choman district</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dams/" rel="tag">Dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/drought/" rel="tag">drought</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/erbil/" rel="tag">Erbil</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/farmers/" rel="tag">farmers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/farms/" rel="tag">farms</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/global-warming/" rel="tag">Global warming</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/graseen-district/" rel="tag">Graseen district</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iranian-border/" rel="tag">iranian border</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-kurdistan/" rel="tag">Iraqi kurdistan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation/" rel="tag">irrigation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan/" rel="tag">Kurdistan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan-meteorology-and-seismology-directorate-kmsd/" rel="tag">Kurdistan Meteorology and Seismology Directorate (KMSD)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan-region/" rel="tag">kurdistan region</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan-regional-government/" rel="tag">kurdistan regional government</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurds/" rel="tag">kurds</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/makhmour/" rel="tag">Makhmour</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/qaraj-district/" rel="tag">Qaraj district</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rainfall/" rel="tag">rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rainfall-levels/" rel="tag">rainfall levels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rania/" rel="tag">Rania</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sulaymaniyah/" rel="tag">Sulaymaniyah</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tawela-district/" rel="tag">Tawela District</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-levels-in-reservoirs-and-dams-and-rivers/" rel="tag">water levels in reservoirs and dams and rivers</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan:  An agricultural official from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is warning that if there is no rain by December 15th in areas around Erbil and southern Sulaimani, and by the end of this month in other areas of Kurdistan, 85 percent of farms will remain uncultivated this year.</p> <p><a title="20101205_rudaw_drought_article_photo_witrh_caption by Gorillas Guides, on Flickr" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/5233792677/" class="external" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px" height="214" alt="20101205_rudaw_drought_article_photo_witrh_caption" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421im_/http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5088/5233792677_1b764d63e1_o.jpg" width="375" align="right"/></a>It was this fear that made many Kurds congregate last week in different towns and cities praying for rain, a religious ritual practiced by Muslims worldwide asking God to send His merciful rain.</p> <p>Khaled Suleiman, a 44-year-old farmer, has had his seeds and pesticides ready for nearly two months but he has not been able to cultivate his land because of lack of rain. He fears his land will stay uncultivated this year.</p> <p>Suleiman lives in Qaraj district close to Erbil, the capital of the federal region of Kurdistan. Suleiman’s livelihood depends on his approximately 66 hectares of land. He said that, out of 401 hectares of agricultural land in his village, only 13 hectares of it had been cultivated this year.</p> <p>“We fear we will have a dry year and cannot raise our cattle too. If there is no rain by mid-December then there will be no cultivation here,” he said.</p> <p>There are around 1.5 million hectares of agricultural land in Kurdistan, 88 percent of which depends on rain for cultivation. The Qeraj, Kandinawe and Shemamak plains near Erbil are the areas most under the threat of drought this year.</p> <p>Saeed Mustafa, director of agriculture in Makhmour, said only 668 hectares of the area’s 66,890 hectares of agricultural land had been cultivated this year.</p> <p>According to figures obtained by Rudaw from the Kurdistan Meteorology and Seismology Directorate (KMSD), the highest rate of rainfall in Erbil province this year has been in Choman district, near the border with Iran, which has so far seen 12.3 millimeters.</p> <p>In Sulaimani province, the highest rate of rainfall has been in the Tawela area, also close to the Iranian border, which has reached at 8.7 millimeters.  In Duhok province the highest rate has been 8.1 millimeters in the Graseen area.</p> <p>At the same time last year, Choman had seen 176.8 millimeters of rainfall, Biyare 252.4 millimeters and Graseen 88.8 millimeters.</p> <p>KMSD’s head, Hassan Wehab, said his office did not possess advanced enough technology to forecast several months ahead.</p> <p>“We have 27 weather registration centers and we can only forecast the weather for the next 48 hours,” Wehab said.</p> <p>But he said the delay in rainfall is not necessarily a sign of drought since the rainy season is not over yet. KMSD officials say the rain shortage is mostly due to global warming which has affected other areas of the Middle East, such as Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine/Israel.</p> <p>The looming threat of drought has made some farmers in Kurdistan criticize Kurdistan’s Ministry of Agriculture for failing to implement irrigation projects to reduce their dependence on rainfall.</p> <p>Anwar Omar, director of planning at the Ministry of Agriculture, blamed the low number of irrigation projects on the small budget allocated for this.</p> <p>“In Kurdistan’s five-year strategic agricultural plan, around 70 percent of the budget was earmarked for building dams and irrigation projects, but unfortunately over the past two years only 25 percent of the budget has been injected into the projects,” Omar said. “Because of the budget shortage we have only been able to irrigate 15 percent of agricultural land.”</p> <p>Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture say that, out of 25 proposed dams, only 14 have been approved by the government, and these 14 are only at the stage of signing contracts and surveying.</p> <p>Two dams, one in Koya, south of Erbil, and the other in Garmyan, south of Sulaimani, are currently under construction and are expected to be completed by the end of this year, but they are unlikely to be functioning until after this year.</p> <p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurds/3340.html" class="external" target="_blank">Kurdistan’s Parched Land in Dire Need of Rain</a> | By Rawa Abdulla | Rudaw in English</p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11187"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/29/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d8%aa%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a3%d8%ac%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%87/#respond" title="Comment on العراق: القتل من أجل المياه">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 29th, 2010 by Nabil</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/29/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d8%aa%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a3%d8%ac%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%87/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to العراق: القتل من أجل المياه">العراق: القتل من أجل المياه</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/features/" title="View all posts in Features" rel="category tag">Features</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/iraq/" title="View all posts in News" rel="category tag">News</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/abu-ghraib/" rel="tag">Abu Ghraib</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-sector/" rel="tag">agricultural sector</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture/" rel="tag">Agriculture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/air/" rel="tag">Air</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/armed-conflict/" rel="tag">armed conflict</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/average-rainfall/" rel="tag">average rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/children/" rel="tag">Children</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/construction-of-dams/" rel="tag">construction of dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/corruption/" rel="tag">Corruption</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dams/" rel="tag">Dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/desertification/" rel="tag">Desertification</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diwaniya/" rel="tag">Diwaniya</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/economic-situation/" rel="tag">economic situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/farmers/" rel="tag">farmers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/farmland/" rel="tag">farmland</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/feuds/" rel="tag">feuds</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irin/" rel="tag">IRIN</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation/" rel="tag">irrigation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation-department/" rel="tag">irrigation department</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/land-resources/" rel="tag">land resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rainfall/" rel="tag">rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/resources/" rel="tag">Resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rural-areas/" rel="tag">rural areas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salinity/" rel="tag">salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sandstorms/" rel="tag">sandstorms</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sanitation/" rel="tag">sanitation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-situation/" rel="tag">security situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/shortage-of-water/" rel="tag">shortage of water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/soil-salinity/" rel="tag">soil salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/traditional-tribes/" rel="tag">traditional tribes</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/underinvestment/" rel="tag">underinvestment</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-distribution/" rel="tag">water distribution</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-level/" rel="tag">water level</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-levels/" rel="tag">water levels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-pumps/" rel="tag">water pumps</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-supplies/" rel="tag">water supplies</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/west-baghdad/" rel="tag">west Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/who/" rel="tag">WHO</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>في الساعات الأولى من صباح 18 يونيو، اقتحم مسلحون منزل فيصل حسن في غرب بغداد وقتلوه وزوجته وطفليهما الصغيرين. ولكن لم يكن الدافع وراء هذه الجريمة طائفياً أو سياسياً أو حتى اقتصادياً، بل كان مرتبطاً بالمياه. <br/>فقد كان حسن البالغ من العمر أربعين عاماً موظفاً في دائرة الري المحلية في مدينة أبو غريب، الواقعة على بعد 32 كيلومتراً من بغداد والتي اشتهرت في الآونة الأخيرة بالفضائح المرتبطة بالسجن المقام على أرضها. وكان القسم الذي يعمل فيه حسن يشرف على توزيع الحكومة للمياه على الأراضي الزراعية داخل مدينة أبو غريب ومحيطها.</p> <p>وحسب محقق الشرطة، محمد خضير، رفع مقتل حسن عدد العاملين في قسم الري الذين تعرضوا للقتل في هذه المدينة إلى ثلاثة خلال الأشهر الثلاثة الماضية. وعلق خضير على ذلك بقوله: "لم يكن لأي من هؤلاء علاقة بالسياسة أو الأنشطة المعادية للمتشددين ولكنهم كانوا بدل ذلك ضحايا لطبيعة عملهم التي أصبحت محفوفة بالمخاطر". <br/><strong>خطر المواجهات المحلية </strong> <br/>وتتمتع القبائل والعشائر التقليدية في المناطق الريفية في العراق بسلطة كبيرة، إذ عادة ما تحصل من أعضائها على ولاء أقوى مما يقدمونه للحكومة الوطنية. وقد دخلت هذه العشائر في الماضي في اشتباكات حول الأراضي وموارد المياه ولكن مع غياب حكومة قوية منذ عام 2003 وانخفاض إمدادات المياه خلال السنوات الأخيرة، يرى بعض المحللين أن الخلافات المحلية المرتبطة بالمياه في ازدياد وأصبحت تنذر بخطر حدوث نزاعات مسلحة. </p> <p>وعلق جعفر محمد علي، وهو محلل بكربلاء على ذلك بقوله: "لا نملك اليوم حكومة تعمل بشكل كامل لأنها منشغلة كلياً بالحالة الأمنية والخلافات السياسية، ولذلك لا تلعب دوراً قوياً في ردع أي خلاف محتمل واسع النطاق. كما نعاني أيضاً من نقص حاد في المياه على الصعيد الوطني ومن وضع اقتصادي سيء للغاية يجعل من الصعب جداً على المزارعين القيام بأعمال أخرى". <br/>من جهته، أفاد علي اسماعيل الزبيدي، أحد شيوخ القبائل في محافظة الديوانية الواقعة على بعد حوالي 200 كلم إلى الجنوب من بغداد، أن قبيلته أجرت "مفاوضات صعبة" بشأن حصص المياه مع قبيلة أخرى مجاورة. وأضاف قائلاً: "نحن نعاني من مشاكل يومية فيما يخص المياه، فهم يستعملون مضخات مياه كهربائية ضخمة لشفط المياه ولا يتركون لنا سوى قطرات فقط. كما أن المسؤولين في الحكومة عاجزون عن تنظيم الري ووقف أولئك الذين ينتهكون اللوائح الخاصة به إما بسبب الفساد أو لأنهم يخشون على حياتهم. لذا يتعين علينا حل هذه المشكلة بأنفسنا". وأوضح أنه بحاجة لعقد المزيد من الاجتماعات مع شيوخ هذه القبيلة لحل النزاع حول المياه "ولكن هذا لا يعني أنه بإمكاننا الانتظار طويلاً، بل سنتصرف بسرعة لتأمين المياه التي نحتاجها لأرضنا حتى لو توجب علينا حمل السلاح". <br/><strong>أمة تفتقر للمياه</strong> <br/>وكان العراق تاريخياً واحداً من الدول الأكثر خصوبة في المنطقة بفضل نهري دجلة والفرات اللذين يتدفقان باتجاه الجنوب الشرقي عبر البلاد بأسرها. وكان شريطاً أخضراً من الأراضي الخصبة يمتد عبر وسط البلاد تغذيه مياه النهرين. غير أن مستويات المياه في دجلة والفرات انخفضت بشكل مطرد في السنوات الأخيرة بسبب قلة هطول الأمطار وبناء السدود على الأنهار في تركيا وسوريا. </p> <p>بالإضافة إلى ذلك، تعرض القطاع الزراعي في البلاد للشلل بسبب عقود من الحرب وانعدام الأمن وقلة الاستثمارات وقطع الأشجار من دون رادع لاستخدامها كحطب للوقود، مما زاد من ملوحة التربة وتسبب في تعرض بعض المناطق للتصحر. وقد تحولت مساحات كبيرة من الأراضي الزراعية التي كانت خصبة فيما قبل إلى صحراء شبه قاحلة أخذت تسبب عدداً متزايداً من العواصف الرملية في ظل ذبول النباتات المثبتة للتربة. <br/>وقد قامت الحكومة، استجابة لذلك، بتبني تدابير لتنظيم كمية المياه المستخدمة للري في كل محافظة ولكنها واجهت صعوبات في تنفيذها. وقال مهدي القيسي، وكيل وزارة الزراعة، لشبكة الأنباء الإنسانية (إيرين) أن "المزارعين لم يلتزموا بلوائح توزيع المياه. ونحن ننصحهم باتباع هذه اللوائح هذا العام لأننا لا نستطيع ضمان كمية المياه التي ستتوفر لدينا". </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://arabic.irinnews.org/ReportArabic.aspx?SID=2083" class="external" target="_blank">العراق: القتل من أجل المياه-العراق-بيئة-نزاع-المياه والصرف الصحي</a></p> </p></div> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11115"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/24/killing-for-water/#respond" title="Comment on Killing for water">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 24th, 2010 by Khaled</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/24/killing-for-water/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Killing for water">Killing for water</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/features/" title="View all posts in Features" rel="category tag">Features</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/abu-ghraib/" rel="tag">Abu Ghraib</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-sector/" rel="tag">agricultural sector</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture/" rel="tag">Agriculture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/air/" rel="tag">Air</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/armed-conflict/" rel="tag">armed conflict</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/average-rainfall/" rel="tag">average rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bala/" rel="tag">Bala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/children/" rel="tag">Children</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/construction-of-dams/" rel="tag">construction of dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/corruption/" rel="tag">Corruption</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dams/" rel="tag">Dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/desertification/" rel="tag">Desertification</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diwaniya/" rel="tag">Diwaniya</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/economic-situation/" rel="tag">economic situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/farmers/" rel="tag">farmers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/farmland/" rel="tag">farmland</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/feuds/" rel="tag">feuds</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irin/" rel="tag">IRIN</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation/" rel="tag">irrigation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation-department/" rel="tag">irrigation department</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/land-resources/" rel="tag">land resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rainfall/" rel="tag">rainfall</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/resources/" rel="tag">Resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rural-areas/" rel="tag">rural areas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salinity/" rel="tag">salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sandstorms/" rel="tag">sandstorms</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sanitation/" rel="tag">sanitation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-situation/" rel="tag">security situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/shortage-of-water/" rel="tag">shortage of water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/soil-salinity/" rel="tag">soil salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/traditional-tribes/" rel="tag">traditional tribes</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/underinvestment/" rel="tag">underinvestment</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-distribution/" rel="tag">water distribution</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-level/" rel="tag">water level</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-levels/" rel="tag">water levels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-pumps/" rel="tag">water pumps</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-supplies/" rel="tag">water supplies</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/west-baghdad/" rel="tag">west Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/who/" rel="tag">WHO</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>BAGHDAD, 23 June 2010 (<a title="IRIN" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=89586" class="external" target="_blank">IRIN</a>) – In the early hours of 18 June, gunmen broke into Faisal Hassan’s west Baghdad home killing him, his wife and their two young children. The motive was not sectarian, political or even economic – but water-related. <br/>Forty-year-old Hasan was an employee of a local irrigation department in Abu Ghraib city – 32km west of Baghdad and famed in recent times for scandals surrounding its prison. <br/>The department he worked for supervised government water distribution to farmland in and around Abu Ghraib. His death brings the number of irrigation department employees killed in this city to three in the past three months, Mohammed Khudhair, a police investigator, said. <br/>“All these employees had nothing to do with politics or anti-militant activities, but instead were victims of the nature of their work, which has become a risky one,” he said. </p> <p><strong>Risk of local feuds </strong></p> <p>In Iraq’s rural areas, traditional tribes and clans hold much sway and often attract stronger loyalty from members than the national government. Clans have clashed in the past over land resources and water, but with the absence of a strong government since 2003 and the decline in water supplies in recent years, analysts say local water feuds are on the rise and risk becoming armed conflicts.</p> <div style="padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; float: right; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px; width: 360px; padding-top: 5px"> <div class="container"> <div class="shadow"> <div class="frame"> <p>Government officials can’t control the regulation of irrigation and stop those who violate their regulations either because of corruption or because they fear for their lives. So we have to solve this issue ourselves.</p> </p></div> <p> </div> </p></div> </p></div> <p>“Today, we don’t have a fully functioning government as it is totally preoccupied by the security situation and political wrangling so we don’t have a strong role to deter any possible widespread conflict,” Karbala-based analyst Jaafar Moahmmed Ali said. “Besides, we have an acute shortage of water nationwide and a very bad economic situation that makes it very hard for farmers to do other work.” <br/>Tribal sheikh Ali Ismael al-Zubaidi from Diwaniya Governorate, about 200km south of Baghdad, said he had been having “tough negotiations” over water allocations with another tribe that lives upstream from his. <br/>“We have daily problems with water. They are siphoning water with huge electric water pumps and leave only drops for us,” al-Zubaidi said. “Government officials can’t control the regulation of irrigation and stop those who violate their regulations either because of corruption or because they fear for their lives. So we have to solve this issue ourselves.” <br/>Al-Zubaidi said he needed to hold more meetings with the upstream tribe to resolve the water dispute “but that doesn’t mean that we can wait a long time. We will act swiftly to secure the water we need for our land even if we have to take up weapons.” </p> <p><strong>Water-scarce nation </strong></p> <p>Historically, Iraq has been one of the more fertile nations in the region, thanks largely to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which flow southeasterly through the entire nation. There used to be a thick, green ribbon of fertile land snaking through the middle of the country, fed by the two rivers. <br/>However, in recent years water levels in the Euphrates and Tigris <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=86222" class="external" target="_blank">have steadily fallen</a> due to below-average rainfall and the construction of dams on the rivers in neighbouring Turkey and Syria. <br/>In addition, the country’s agricultural sector has been paralysed by decades of war and insecurity, underinvestment and the unchecked felling of trees for firewood, which has increased <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=85987" class="external" target="_blank">soil salinity</a> and caused desertification in some areas. Large tracts of once fertile agricultural land have been transformed into semi-arid desert and are causing an increasing number of sandstorms as soil-binding plants shrivel up. <br/>In response, the government has adopted measures to regulate the amount of water being used for irrigation in each province but has faced difficulties implementing them. <br/>“The farmers didn’t adhere to the water distribution regulations. We advise them to follow the regulations this year because we cannot guarantee the amount of water we’ll have,” Mahdi al-Qaisi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, told IRIN. </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=89586" class="external" target="_blank">IRIN Middle East | IRAQ: Killing for water | Middle East | Iraq | Environment Conflict Water & Sanitation | News Item</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-10892"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/04/baghdad-urged-to-tackle-water-crisis/#respond" title="Comment on Baghdad Urged to Tackle Water Crisis">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 4th, 2010 by Harith</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/04/baghdad-urged-to-tackle-water-crisis/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Baghdad Urged to Tackle Water Crisis">Baghdad Urged to Tackle Water Crisis</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad-university/" rel="tag">Baghdad University</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/budget/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/desert/" rel="tag">desert</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/desertification/" rel="tag">Desertification</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diplomatic-relations/" rel="tag">Diplomatic relations</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/drought/" rel="tag">drought</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/fishermen/" rel="tag">fishermen</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/hydropower/" rel="tag">hydropower</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/incoming-government/" rel="tag">incoming government</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/international-conventions/" rel="tag">international conventions</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iran/" rel="tag">Iran</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation/" rel="tag">irrigation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iwpr/" rel="tag">IWPR</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/karez/" rel="tag">Karez</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/marshland/" rel="tag">marshland</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/port-said/" rel="tag">Port Said</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/resources/" rel="tag">Resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/river-water/" rel="tag">river water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salinity/" rel="tag">salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria-and-iran/" rel="tag">syria and iran</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris/" rel="tag">Tigris</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-river/" rel="tag">Tigris River</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/unesco/" rel="tag">UNESCO</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-crisis/" rel="tag">Water Crisis</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-issue/" rel="tag">water issue</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-level/" rel="tag">water level</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-levels/" rel="tag">water levels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-problems/" rel="tag">water problems</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-resource-management/" rel="tag">water resource management</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-resources/" rel="tag">water resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-rights/" rel="tag">water rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-scarcity/" rel="tag">water scarcity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-shortage/" rel="tag">water shortage</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-shortages/" rel="tag">Water Shortages</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-supply/" rel="tag">water supply</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/wheat/" rel="tag">wheat</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p><em>UN report found that 100,000 Iraqis have fled their homes since 2005 due to water shortages.</em> </p> <p>Iraqis are calling on their incoming government to devote more energy to resolving the country’s chronic water problems, with some experts stating that water will be more important than oil in the long-term development of the county. </p> <p>Even as recent rains have brought some relief to drought-stricken Iraq, the historic problem of water scarcity has forced tens of thousands of rural Iraqis from their homes. The government estimates that nearly two million people face severe drinking water shortages and extremely limited electricity due to hydropower shortage. </p> <p>Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions are running high as promises from upriver counties such as Turkey, Syria and Iran to allow more water into Iraq appear not to have been met. This week, Foreign Minister Hoshiar Zebari denounced a plan by Syria to divert water from the Tigris river to irrigate some 200,000 acres of land as detrimental to Iraq’s future water supply. </p> <p>Iraq’s minister of electricity Kareem Waheed called Syria’s move a “shock” that would “embarrass” his ministry and undermine its commitments to hydropower. Both ministers decried Syria’s plan as a breach of international conventions on down-river water rights. </p> <p>“The next government will be challenged on the water issue and there is no option but to deal with it. I understand that Iraq faces more than one problem, but this one can’t be ignored. No matter what the government is focusing on, this problem will impose itself,” said Dr Awn Thiab al-Ajeli, the head of Iraq’s National Centre for Water Resource Management within the ministry of water resources. </p> <p>"The first step that should be made is to reach a deal with Turkey as well as Iran and Syria in order to have good, stable amounts of water enter to Iraq each day. The current situation is that the amount is good one day, and bad the next. To make this step, a deal must be made between governments, not just between two water ministries. It depends on the diplomatic relations between the two states," Ajeli said. </p> <p>Officials have said in the past security concerns have overshadowed the development of a forward-thinking water policy. With Iraq’s recent and relative stability, experts are now calling for a plan to tackle the water problems that have afflicted the country – from rising salinity in the southern marshland to the imminent demise of traditional irrigation systems, known as karez, in the north. </p> <p>A UNESCO report found that 100,000 Iraqis have fled their native communities since 2005 due to water shortages. </p> <p>Another United Nations report claims the water levels in the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, Iraq’s primary sources of water, have fallen by more than two-thirds. The report cautioned that the vital lifelines could completely dry up by 2040. </p> <p>“At the current rates, Iraq’s water supply will fall an estimated 43 billion cubic metres by 2015, far short of the 77 cubic metres that the country will need to avert a widespread humanitarian disaster,” the UN report read. </p> <p>According to UN research, “Inefficient irrigation, lack of government coordination and weak capacity to manage the resource has compounded the current shortage of water… After years of neglect during the previous regime, Iraq’s water managers still lack sufficient technical capability and knowledge to address its growing water crisis. Budget constraints have handicapped the government’s ability to implement a long-term water management plan.” </p> <p>Social problems connected with water scarcity are common in Iraq: fishermen in the southern complain of a declining catches; in agricultural areas, water shortages have caused wheat production to fall by half. According to the UN, Iraq now imports 80 per cent of its food and 90 per cent of Iraq’s land is either desert or “suffering from severe desertification”. </p> <p>“Water is more important than oil for Iraq because we have agricultural lands which, without water, are useless. Agriculture is the future and the new government need to see that,” Ajeji said. </p> <p>The political impact of water relations with upriver countries is not lost on the UN. “We believe that the problem has political dimensions between Iraq and [its neighbours], which are trying to put pressure on the Iraqi government to advance some economic and political interests. The maneuvering has already begun in determining how much water Iraq should really have,” its report said. </p> <p>Dr Mohammed al-Zubaidi, political science professor at Baghdad University, said water is already the defining factor in Iraq’s foreign relations. </p> <p>“Listen, don’t be naïve. Upriver countries dominate down river countries because they control water revenue. This gives them advantages in other fields as well,” Zubaidi said. </p> <p>“Let’s talk about Turkey and Syria. We have concerns that one day they will ask in return for water, one barrel of water for one barrel of oil. That day will come soon if Iraq maintains its ignorant strategies of wasteful water management.” </p> <p>The Baghdad government claims it is doing its part in seeking adequate water for Iraq and applying diplomatic pressure to upriver neighbours. </p> <p>“We have formed delegations to visit Turkey, Iran and Syria to speak with them about sharing water because we face a serious problem in this regard. We have sent letters demanding the need to give us more water,” Jamal al-Battiq, head of parliament’s agricultural committee, said. </p> <p>Neighbouring nations have been reluctant to address Iraq’s water woes, but Mustafa Kibargolu, a professor at Bilkent University’s international relations department, cautioned that water could be the source of conflict in years to come. </p> <p>“[There hasn’t been any] confrontation or high tension stemming from the unsatisfied demands of parties over the use of water. [But] this should not mislead observers into thinking this is unlikely,” Kibargolu said. </p> <p>“Unless some old water policies are purged and new ones introduced. It is a real possibility that this region will become a time bomb in terms of water rights.”</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.iwpr.net/report-news/baghdad-urged-tackle-water-crisis" class="external" target="_blank">Baghdad Urged to Tackle Water Crisis – IWPR Institute for War & Peace Reporting</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-10270"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/05/02/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d8%aa%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%b9-%d8%a5%d9%86%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%ac-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d9%85%d8%ad-%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d8%b1%d8%b2/#respond" title="Comment on العراق: تراجع إنتاج القمح والأرز">No Comments</a></span> Posted on May 2nd, 2010 by Editors</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/05/02/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d8%aa%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%b9-%d8%a5%d9%86%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%ac-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82%d9%85%d8%ad-%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d8%b1%d8%b2/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to العراق: تراجع إنتاج القمح والأرز">العراق: تراجع إنتاج القمح والأرز</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/features/" title="View all posts in Features" rel="category tag">Features</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-sector/" rel="tag">agricultural sector</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture-decline-of/" rel="tag">Agriculture decline of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture-ministry/" rel="tag">agriculture ministry</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/desertification/" rel="tag">Desertification</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/euphrates-river/" rel="tag">Euphrates river,</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/food-imports/" rel="tag">food imports</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/food-prices/" rel="tag">food prices</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/habaniyah-lake/" rel="tag">Habaniyah Lake</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/haditha-dam/" rel="tag">Haditha dam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/haditha-reservoir/" rel="tag">Haditha Reservoir</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irin/" rel="tag">IRIN</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation/" rel="tag">irrigation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul-dam/" rel="tag">Mosul Dam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rate-of-flow/" rel="tag">rate of flow</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rural-areas/" rel="tag">rural areas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/soil-salinity/" rel="tag">soil salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/southern-iraq/" rel="tag">southern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-river/" rel="tag">Tigris River</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-crisis-iraq/" rel="tag">Water Crisis (Iraq)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-level/" rel="tag">water level</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-resources/" rel="tag">water resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-shortage/" rel="tag">water shortage</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>يخطط العراق لاستيراد 80 بالمائة من احتياجاته من القمح والأرز خلال عام 2010، وفقاً لغازي حسين، المتحدث باسم شركة الحبوب المملوكة للدولة والتابعة لوزارة التجارة.</p> <p>وتظهر أرقام وزارة التجارة أن العراق استورد 3.55 مليون طن من القمح و1.17 مليون طن من الأرز في العام الماضي، وهو ما يشكل ارتفاعاً مقارنة بالكميات المستوردة من القمح والأرز في عام 2008 والتي بلغت 2.54 مليون طن و610,000 طن على التوالي.</p> <p>وأوضح عون ذياب عبد الله، وهو مسؤول رفيع المستوى في وزارة الموارد المائية، أن ارتفاع الواردات ناتج عن <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://arabic.irinnews.org/ReportArabic.aspx?SID=1539" class="external" target="_blank">انخفاض منسوب المياه في نهري الفرات ودجلة </a>مما تسبب بدوره في انخفاض الإنتاج. وحذر عبد الله من أن العراق قد يواجه موسماً زراعياً صعباً نهاية هذا الصيف.</p> <p>وجاء في قوله: "لا تزال كمية المياه التي نتلقاها من نهر الفرات عند الحدود مع سوريا منخفضة عند حوالي 250 متراً مكعباً في الثانية… أما بالنسبة لنهر دجلة، فقد شهدنا انخفاضاً بنسبة 50 بالمائة في معدل التدفق من 1,680 متراً مكعباً في الثانية [خلال وقبل أبريل 2003] إلى 836 متراً مكعباً في الثانية الواحدة". وأشار إلى أن تغذية الخزانات على نهر دجلة في مستوى معقول في الوقت الحاضر، غير أن الخزانات الثلاثة الكبرى التي تتغذى من الفرات، وهي خزان حديثة وسد الموصل وبحيرة الحبانية تعاني من نقص شديد في المياه.</p> <p>وقد قررت الحكومة في عام 2009 تخفيض المساحة المزروعة بالأرز، والتي تعتمد كلها على المياه من نهر الفرات، بسبب نقص المياه وارتفاع مستويات ملوحة التربة. وعلق عبد الله على ذلك بقوله: "إن هذا الوضع يقلقنا، خصوصاً في موسم الصيف المقبل. كما يمكنه أن يؤثر [على الزراعة] في بداية فصل الشتاء المقبل عندما تحين الحاجة لأولى قطرات الري [في أكتوبر ونوفمبر]". </p> <p><strong>ضعف القطاع الزراعي</strong></p> <p>وتعد معظم الأراضي العراقية، حوالي 78 بالمائة، غير قابلة للاستخدام الزراعي. كما أن ما يقرب من 9.5 مليون هكتار من الأراضي الهامشية المتبقية تستخدم للرعي الموسمي للماعز والأغنام، وفقاً <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL32093.pdf" class="external" target="_blank">لتقرير صادر في شهر يونيو 2004 عن الكونغرس الأميركي</a>. ولا يمثل الإنتاج الزراعي سوى حوالي 4 بالمائة من الناتج المحلي الإجمالي.</p> <p>وقد تعرضت الزراعة للشلل بسبب عقود من الحرب وانعدام الأمن وقلة الاستثمارات وقطع الأشجار لجمع الحطب، مما تسبب في تفاقم الملوحة <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://arabic.irinnews.org/ReportArabic.aspx?SID=1305" class="external" target="_blank">والتصحر</a>. ووفقاً لوزارة الزراعة، تؤثر الملوحة على ما لا يقل عن 40 بالمائة من الأراضي الزراعية، لاسيما في وسط وجنوب العراق، في حين أثر التصحر على ما يتراوح بين 40 و50 بالمائة من الأراضي التي كانت منتجة في السبعينيات. </p> <p>وقد قدر <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.faoiraq.org/images/word/Agriculture%20Overview%20Feb09.pdf" class="external" target="_blank">تقرير </a>صادر عن منظمة الأغذية والزراعة (الفاو) أن "ثلث سكان العراق يقيمون في المناطق الريفية ويعتمدون على الزراعة لكسب الرزق. ومع ذلك، فإن هذا الجزء من السكان يعاني على نحو غير متناسب من الفقر وانعدام الأمن الغذائي. ويقيم 69 بالمائة من العراقيين الذين يعانون من الفقر المدقع وانعدام الأمن الغذائي في المناطق الريفية".</p> <p>وأشارت المنظمة إلى أن مزارعي القمح العراقيين عانوا من انخفاض في الإنتاج بنسبة 55 بالمائة خلال عام 2008 بسبب الجفاف الشديد، وارتفاع الاعتماد على الواردات في عام 2008 إلى 74 بالمائة بالنسبة للقمح و69 بالمائة بالنسبة لجميع الحبوب. </p> <p>وأفاد تقرير مشترك صادر عن منظمة الأغذية والزراعة ووحدة المعلومات والتحاليل المشتركة بين الوكالات (بدعم من مختلف المنظمات الرئيسية للأمم المتحدة ومكاتبها في العراق) تحت عنوان "<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ISFP/Iraq_Food_Prices-Final.pdf" class="external" target="_blank">تحليل أسعار المواد الغذائية في العراق</a>" إلى أن أسعار المواد الغذائية في البلاد ارتفعت بشكل حاد مقارنة بالأسعار العالمية. ويعود ذلك إلى حد كبير إلى زيادة الأسعار المحلية للوقود والكهرباء بنسبة 800 بالمائة في الفترة 2004-2008.</p> <p>ووفقاً لمهدي القيسي، وكيل وزارة الزراعة، أنتج العراق 117,000 طن من الأرز و1.281 طن من القمح في موسم 2008-2009. وهذه الأرقام تشمل الإنتاج المبلغ عنه من قبل المزارعين لوزارة التجارة، مما قد يجعلها منخفضة.</p> <p>ومن المتوقع أن يصل إجمالي الاستهلاك من القمح في عام 2010 إلى 4.5 مليون طن والأرز إلى 1.227 طن، حسب غازي المتحدث باسم شركة الحبوب. </p> <blockquote></blockquote> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://arabic.irinnews.org/ReportArabic.aspx?SID=1973" class="external" target="_blank">العراق: تراجع إنتاج القمح والأرز -العراق-إقتصاد-أمن غذائي</a></p> </p></div> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-10178"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/04/30/iraq-domestic-wheat-rice-production-in-the-doldrums/#comments" title="Comment on IRAQ: Domestic wheat, rice production in the doldrums">1 Comment</a></span> Posted on April 30th, 2010 by Harith</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/04/30/iraq-domestic-wheat-rice-production-in-the-doldrums/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to IRAQ: Domestic wheat, rice production in the doldrums">IRAQ: Domestic wheat, rice production in the doldrums</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-sector/" rel="tag">agricultural sector</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture-decline-of/" rel="tag">Agriculture decline of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture-ministry/" rel="tag">agriculture ministry</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/desertification/" rel="tag">Desertification</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/euphrates-river/" rel="tag">Euphrates river,</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/food-imports/" rel="tag">food imports</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/food-prices/" rel="tag">food prices</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/habaniyah-lake/" rel="tag">Habaniyah Lake</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/haditha-dam/" rel="tag">Haditha dam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/haditha-reservoir/" rel="tag">Haditha Reservoir</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irin/" rel="tag">IRIN</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation/" rel="tag">irrigation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul-dam/" rel="tag">Mosul Dam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rate-of-flow/" rel="tag">rate of flow</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rural-areas/" rel="tag">rural areas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/soil-salinity/" rel="tag">soil salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/southern-iraq/" rel="tag">southern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-river/" rel="tag">Tigris River</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-crisis-iraq/" rel="tag">Water Crisis (Iraq)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-level/" rel="tag">water level</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-resources/" rel="tag">water resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-shortage/" rel="tag">water shortage</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>BAGHDAD, 29 April 2010 (<a title="IRIN" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88960" class="external" target="_blank">IRIN</a>) – Iraq is planning to import 80 percent of its wheat and rice requirements in 2010, according to Hussein Ghazy, a spokesman of the state-owned Grains Company affiliated to the Trade Ministry. </p> <p>Trade Ministry figures show Iraq imported 3.55 million tons of wheat and 1.17 million tons of rice last year – up from 2.54 million and 610,000 tons respectively in 2008. </p> <p>Rising imports are being triggered by the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=85925" class="external" target="_blank">low water levels in the Euphrates and the Tigris</a>, which is causing reduced production, said Aoun Thiab Abdullah, a senior official in the Water Resources Ministry. He warned Iraq could face another difficult agricultural season this summer. </p> <p>“The amount of water we receive from the Euphrates at the border with Syria is still low at about 250 cubic metres per second… As for the Tigris, we have seen a 50 percent drop in the flow rate from 1,680 cubic metres per second [in and prior to April 2003] to 836 cubic metres per second. He noted that reservoirs fed by the Tigris were at a reasonable level at present. </p> <p>However, the three biggest reservoirs fed by the Euphrates – Haditha Reservoir, Mosul Dam and Habaniyah Lake – have severe water shortages, he said. </p> <p>Because of water shortages and high levels of soil salinity, the government decided in 2009 to halve the area planted with rice, all of which is dependent on water from the Euphrates. </p> <p>“This situation worries us, especially as the summer season is coming and it could even affect the beginning of the next winter season, when the first irrigation [in October and November] is needed,” Abdullah said. </p> <h3>Weak agricultural sector </h3> <p>Most of Iraq – 78 percent – is not viable for agricultural use. Almost half of the remaining 9.5 million hectares is marginal land used mainly for seasonal grazing of goats and sheep, according to a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL32093.pdf" class="external" target="_blank">June 2004 report for the US Congress</a>. Agricultural output accounts for only about 4 percent of gross domestic product. </p> <p>Agriculture has been paralysed by decades of war and insecurity, underinvestment, and the unchecked cutting down of trees for firewood, which had worsened salinity and desertification. According to the Agriculture Ministry, salinity affects at least 40 percent of agricultural land, mainly in central and southern Iraq, while 40-50 percent of what was productive land in the 1970s has been affected by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=84142" class="external" target="_blank">desertification</a>. </p> <p>A Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.faoiraq.org/images/word/Agriculture%20Overview%20Feb09.pdf" class="external" target="_blank">report</a> estimated that “one third of the Iraqi population resides in rural areas and depends upon agriculture for their livelihoods. However, this segment of the population suffers disproportionately from poverty and food insecurity as 69 percent of all Iraqis living in extreme poverty and food insecurity reside in rural areas.” </p> <p>FAO noted that Iraqi wheat farmers saw a 55 percent reduction in production during 2008 due to severe drought conditions, and dependence on imports is estimated to have risen in 2008 to 74 percent for wheat and 69 percent for all cereals. </p> <p>A joint report by FAO and the Inter-Agency Information and Analysis Unit (supported by major UN agencies and offices in Iraq) entitled <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ISFP/Iraq_Food_Prices-Final.pdf" class="external" target="_blank">Iraq Food Prices Analysis</a>, said food prices in Iraq had risen at a steeper rate than global food prices, largely because of an 800 percent rise in domestic fuel and electricity prices in 2004-2008. </p> <p>According to Mahdi Al-Qaisi, undersecretary in the Agriculture Ministry, Iraq produced 117,000 tons of rice and 1.281 million tons of wheat in the 2008-09 season. These figures are only for production communicated by farmers to the Trade Ministry, so they could be on the low side, al-Qaisi said. </p> <p>Total consumption of wheat in 2010 is expected to be 4.5 million tons, and rice 1.227 million tons, Grains Company spokesman Ghazy said.</p> <blockquote></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88960" class="external" target="_blank">IRIN Middle East | IRAQ: Domestic wheat, rice production in the doldrums | Middle East | Iraq | Economy Food Security | News Item</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-6922"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/07/18/once-worlds-bread-basket-iraq-now-a-farming-basket-case-mcclatchy/#respond" title="Comment on Once world’s bread basket, Iraq now a farming basket case | McClatchy">No Comments</a></span> Posted on July 18th, 2009 by Editors</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/07/18/once-worlds-bread-basket-iraq-now-a-farming-basket-case-mcclatchy/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Once world’s bread basket, Iraq now a farming basket case | McClatchy">Once world’s bread basket, Iraq now a farming basket case | McClatchy</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture/" rel="tag">Agriculture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/anbar-rice/" rel="tag">Anbar rice</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/drought/" rel="tag">drought</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/harvest-yields/" rel="tag">harvest yields</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-economy/" rel="tag">iraqi economy</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irrigation/" rel="tag">irrigation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mc-clatchy-reports/" rel="tag">Mc Clatchy reports</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul-market/" rel="tag">Mosul market</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salinity/" rel="tag">salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/society-and-economy/" rel="tag">Society And Economy</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/soil-salinity/" rel="tag">soil salinity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates-rivers/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates rivers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-resources/" rel="tag">water resources</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b5%d9%84/" rel="tag">الموصل</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>MISHKHAB, Iraq — Once the cradle of agriculture for civilization, the Land Between Two Rivers — the Tigris and Euphrates — has become a basket case for its farmers. </p> <p>Just ask Naji Habeeb, 85. His family has been growing rice in this village 135 miles southeast of Baghdad for generations. Thin green shoots stick out of the flat paddies, shin-deep in brown water.</p> <p><a title="20090718_rice_farmers_hammoudi" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.flickr.com/photos/27086036@N02/3732413265/" class="external" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px" alt="20090718_rice_farmers_hammoudi" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421im_/http://static.flickr.com/2512/3732413265_0bdd0b089c.jpg" align="right" border="0"/></a>The Iraqi government, he claims, still owes him half of what he’s due from last year’s crop. He turned it in months ago and still hasn’t been paid. "Shall I suck my fingers and eat like a baby?" he shouted. "The Ministry (of Agriculture) will never know my family is hungry!" </p> <p>Habeeb’s family members have farmed the 538-square-foot plot next to a branch of the Euphrates River the same way for centuries. Except today they till with tractors, run water pumps with gasoline and spread artificial fertilizer. They plant seedlings by hand in June and July, irrigate and keep bugs and disease away in the summer heat, harvest by hand in October.</p> <p>However, their efforts haven’t helped Iraqi agriculture overcome the twin disasters of war and sanctions, which have transformed the country from one of the world’s premier sources of aromatic rice and nearly 500 kinds of dates 30 years ago into a net importer of food.</p> <p>Iraq now imports nearly all the food its people eat: California rice, Washington apples, Australian wheat, fruits and vegetables from its neighbors. All are staples in Iraqi groceries and on the dinner table.</p> <p>The decline of the farming sector creates other problems. Agriculture accounts for half or more of Iraqi jobs and is the second-largest contributor to the gross domestic product. The prices that people and the government pay for shortfalls in what they used to grow weaken the country’s economy.</p> <p>For its part, Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s office says he unveiled an "agricultural initiative" two years ago. It included $240 million to bolster farmers, including no-interest loans, guarantees to buy crops, research and development, and other plans. A deputy in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mahdi al Qaisi, said that his agency "will be happy to help farmers, who are our brothers. The time of fear has ended; there is no need to be afraid."</p> <p>Iraq’s agriculture faces the same problems as farmers everywhere: drought (in its fifth year), bugs, disease, salty water, red tape. Those problems are exacerbated, however, by location and history. Eight years of war with Iran, defeat in the Persian Gulf War of 1991, then 12 years of sanctions and, most recently, six years of war and U.S.-led occupation have left the country’s agricultural sector in shambles.</p> <p>Reliable statistics are elusive or suspect. Iraq is the only country, for example, in which the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service estimates crop yields by using satellite data.</p> <p>The available numbers, however, suggest a stagnant and backward sector.</p> <p>This year’s wheat harvest is expected to be 1.3 million tons, down a million tons from last season. The prized amber rice crop grown by Habeeb and popular throughout the region for its perfumed scent will be around 100,000 tons, one-third of last year’s yield.</p> <p>One result is that Iraq has become one of the world’s biggest importers of wheat, around 3.5 million tons. Barley to feed livestock — sheep, goats and cattle — also is shipped in from other countries. The higher cost of raising livestock means that more will have to be culled.</p> <p>Another result: Iraqi consumers pay more for homegrown produce than they do for some imports.</p> <p>Zaineb Kemal, a mother of four in Mosul, said that Iraqi produce had become scarce and expensive. That’s why "so many people prefer to buy imported goods," she said, adding that she likes Iranian watermelons, Syrian cucumbers and Egyptian oranges.</p> <p>Anti-globalization groups praise the fact that Iraqi farmers reuse their own seeds season after season. That doesn’t lead to robust crops, however, and farmers routinely spread twice as much seed as they ordinarily would need to ensure the reduced yields.</p> <p>As in any country, agriculture is political. Unlike most nations, however, the present Iraqi government doesn’t protect — let alone subsidize — many of its farmers, according to Western experts, the rice farmers in Mishkhab and consumers.</p> <p>"Most farmers have been abandoned by the state," said Qasim Muhaideen, 43, who works in Mosul’s central market. "How can our farmers compete in price and availability?"</p> <p>Geopolitics also influences what happens to Iraq’s farmers.</p> <p>Turkey and Syria have built dams on the Euphrates within their borders, and they turn the spigot off and on to Iraq.</p> <p>"The shortage is very effective," Awn Theyab, the director general of Iraq’s National Center for Water Resources, said after Turkey reduced the flow after one week. "If it continues, we won’t have enough water for the first round of the winter season, because our reservoirs are empty."</p> <p>A few bright spots have sprouted. Aquaculture is emerging slowly as a food source, and 100,000 carp fingerlings were released to reservoirs in April. They’ll grow to only one-fourth the size of the 25-pound monsters pulled from the Tigris, but the supply is more stable.</p> <p>There’s also been a boom in "hoop houses," plastic greenhouses for tomatoes using drip irrigation, not the usual field flooding.</p> <p>Multinational provincial reconstruction teams report growing interest in better farming practices. Beekeepers, poultry producers and growers who want to learn modern techniques have started attending workshops. During the years of sectarian and tribal violence, they were afraid to be seen with Americans. Just this week, 175 Iraqis signed up for a soil salinity seminar.</p> <p>Habeeb and his partner, Abdul Abbas Muhair, 67, have never met a foreign agricultural adviser, however.</p> <p>Sitting barefoot on a carpet runner in a tiled room next to their paddies, Habeeb and Muhair swapped gripes about the government. Poor or zero planning. Delayed or incomplete payments. Baksheesh — bribes — needed for the best seeds. Weak fertilizer. Weaker pesticide. Power to run water pumps for only six hours a day, so they must buy gasoline for generators.</p> <p>Even worse than their litany, they said, is their loss of pride. In their fathers’ day, the aromatic rice they grew was enjoyed in Egypt, Lebanon — throughout the Middle East. Now it’s all sold to the government.</p> <p>A rooster crowed outside as little boys in the 15-member clan slid closer and listened to their elders.</p> <p>"I feel sad not to export our rice anymore," Muhair said. "It was enough for your life."</p> <p><em>(Tharp is the executive editor of the Merced (Calif.) Star-Sun. McClatchy special correspondents Laith Hammoudi and Sahar Issa contributed to this article from Baghdad.)</em></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/117/story/72051.html?storylink=omni_popular" class="external" target="_blank">Once world’s bread basket, Iraq now a farming basket case | McClatchy</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-6625"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/06/23/%d9%88%d8%b2%d9%8a%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%a6%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%8a%d8%b9%d8%af-%d8%a8%d8%aa%d9%86%d9%81%d9%8a%d8%b0-%d9%85%d8%b4%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%8a/#respond" title="Comment on وزير الموارد المائية يعد بتنفيذ مشاريع اروائية في قضاء الدجيل">No Comments</a></span> Posted on June 23rd, 2009 by Editors</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/06/23/%d9%88%d8%b2%d9%8a%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%a6%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%8a%d8%b9%d8%af-%d8%a8%d8%aa%d9%86%d9%81%d9%8a%d8%b0-%d9%85%d8%b4%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%8a/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to وزير الموارد المائية يعد بتنفيذ مشاريع اروائية في قضاء الدجيل">وزير الموارد المائية يعد بتنفيذ مشاريع اروائية في قضاء الدجيل</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/iraq/" title="View all posts in News" rel="category tag">News</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agriculture/" rel="tag">Agriculture</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/drought/" rel="tag">drought</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dujail/" rel="tag">Dujail</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salah-ad-din-governorate/" rel="tag">Salah ad Din (Governorate)</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p dir="rtl" align="right">بحث وزير الموارد المائية عبد اللطيف جمال رشيد مع وفد يمثل قضاء الدجيل بمحافظة صلاح الدين الواقع الاروائي والزراعي، وسبل ايصال الحصص المائية للاراضي الزراعية في ظل ازمة شح المياه. وذكر مصدر مخول في الوزارة ان الوزير وعد بتنفيذ عدد من النشاطات والمشاريع، خاصة بعد تحسن الوضع الامني الذي كان يحول دون تنفيذ المشاريع الاروائية واستصلاح الاراضي في القضاء. و اكد وزير الموارد المائية وجود متابعة دقيقة لموضوع شحة المياه في عموم البلاد، واتخاذ العديد من الاجراءات اللازمه للتخفيف من آثارها. واوضح جمال رشيد ان الوزارة تتبع خطة طموحة لتنفيذ العديد من الاعمال، والتركيز على استصلاح الاراضي، وتحسين الانتاج الزراعي، والعمل على حفر وتأهيل العديد من الآبار المائية في مختلف المناطق.</p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-6124"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/05/10/iraq-says-turkey-and-iran-threatening-flow-of-shared-waters/#respond" title="Comment on Iraq says Turkey and Iran threatening flow of shared waters">No Comments</a></span> Posted on May 10th, 2009 by Editors</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/05/10/iraq-says-turkey-and-iran-threatening-flow-of-shared-waters/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Iraq says Turkey and Iran threatening flow of shared waters">Iraq says Turkey and Iran threatening flow of shared waters</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/early-warning/" title="View all posts in Early Warning" rel="category tag">Early Warning</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/agricultural-land/" rel="tag">agricultural land</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/azzaman/" rel="tag">azzaman</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dams/" rel="tag">Dams</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/drought/" rel="tag">drought</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/euphrates-river/" rel="tag">Euphrates river,</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/farmers/" rel="tag">farmers</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iran/" rel="tag">Iran</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rate-of-flow/" rel="tag">rate of flow</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/southern-iraq/" rel="tag">southern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-and-euphrates/" rel="tag">tigris and euphrates</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/tigris-river/" rel="tag">Tigris River</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water/" rel="tag">Water</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-crisis-iraq/" rel="tag">Water Crisis (Iraq)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-resources/" rel="tag">water resources</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>Iraq accused both Iran and Turkey of reneging on promises to allow the flow of sufficient water to secure this year’s agricultural needs.</p> <p>The flow of rivers originating in both Turkey and Iran has been so low prompting the authorities to advise farmers in central and southern Iraq to leave their land fallow.</p> <p>“There are fears that there will not be enough water this year to cultivate land according to plans,” a statement by the Ministry of Water Resources warned.</p> <p>Iraq’s major rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, originate in Turkey. The Euphrates passes through Syria before entering Iraq.</p> <p>Smaller rivers originating in Iraq used to irrigate large swathes of agricultural land in southern Iraq.</p> <p>But Iran has recently been constructing dams and diverting water for its own needs.</p> <p>“Water is very scarce in Iraq due to a drastic drop in rain and snowfall. The rate of flow from the Tigris River is 35% less than last year which itself was already very low,” a ministry statement said.</p> <p>As for tributaries originating from Iran and which used to discharge their waters into the Tigris River, “some of them have dried out altogether,” the statement added.</p> <p>“We call on our neighboring states Iran and Turkey to supply Iraq with its agreed share of water in the light of international norms,” the statement said.</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news�9-05-8kurd.htm" class="external" target="_blank">Iraq says Turkey and Iran threatening flow of shared waters</a> By Munaim Sami <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?code=ennewsen" class="external" target="_blank">Azzaman in English</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="navigation"> <div class="alignleft"></div> <div class="alignright"></div> </div> </div> <div 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style="font-size: 9.33582787652pt;">Basrah</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bombings/" class="tag-link-52" title="691 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 11.0710944808pt;">Bombings</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/child-poverty/" class="tag-link-112" title="242 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.13096351731pt;">Child Poverty</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/children/" class="tag-link-20" title="567 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 10.2591206735pt;">Children</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians/" class="tag-link-282" title="371 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.97567820393pt;">Christians</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514235421/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/death-squads/" class="tag-link-114" title="300 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 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