Promoting agriculture and peace in Iraq

Context

The Governorate of Anbar in western Iraq is the country’s largest province. It is home to extensive desert areas and arable land along the Euphrates. However, Anbar has been the site of many complex crises over the last two decades.

The province is recovering only slowly. The productive and social infrastructure is still destroyed; the social cohesion of the population is compromised; and the opportunities to secure an adequate livelihood are limited – especially in agriculture. The impacts of climate change are directly tangible in Anbar through advancing desertification, water shortages and sandstorms.

Objective

The population in Anbar is able to resolve conflicts and secure livelihoods with climate-adaptive agriculture.

Approach

The project promotes the agricultural sector together with the local government. To this end, it supports the Agriculture Directorate’s advisory service and the reconstruction of productive infrastructure such as irrigation systems and warehouses. It also improves farmers’ access to agricultural machinery.

In addition, the project provides training for agricultural advisors and small farmers. To revive economic activity in the long term, it supports newly founded companies in the wider agricultural sector and grants women access to small loans for agriculture and livestock breeding.

The project also trains the local government and civil society to recognise potential conflicts and resolve them at an early stage. It promotes the role of local peace actors and civil society organisations, training them to use mediation and participatory techniques.

Together with the Education Directorate and the Directorate for Youth and Sport, the project repairs schools and youth centres and trains teachers and administrative staff in peace education. It creates additional service offers in schools and youth centres to impart the skills necessary for creative, peaceful and participatory problem-solving.

Last update: July 2023