Iraq's agriculture minister warns reforms no longer optional as imports rise

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's agriculture sector is becoming increasingly dependent on imports as climate change, water shortages and desertification reduce farmland year by year, Agriculture Minister Murtaza al-Janabi said on July 30, 2026. He described agricultural reform as a necessity rather than a development choice, calling for supportive policies for farmers, the spread of modern production methods and agricultural technologies, and parallel investment in water management and rural infrastructure. Al-Janabi said raising local output and lowering the import bill, creating new employment and improving incomes for farming families require a genuine partnership between the government, the private sector and research institutions. Without financing, training and agricultural advisory services, he added, productivity and environmental sustainability cannot be improved. Iraqi agriculture has faced compounding pressures for years, including reduced water flows from upstream countries, expanding desertification driven by rising temperatures, weak rural infrastructure and high production costs. The Agriculture Ministry has responded by scaling back planting plans in several seasons and focusing on strategic crops within the limits of available water.