The “Green Paper” challenges Iraqi oil: efforts to develop agriculture and diversify the economy

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[size=52]The “Green Paper” challenges Iraqi oil: efforts to develop agriculture and diversify the economy[/size]

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Projects to increase agricultural areas in Iraq (Getty)

[size=45]The Iraqi Minister of Environment, Jassem Al-Falahi, announced the imminent launch of the "Green Paper" by the government in Baghdad to develop the agricultural sector in the country, as part of a comprehensive vision to reduce dependence on oil [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]  in the country.[/size]
[size=45]Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi issued a decision to form a committee to prepare the “green paper”, “in cooperation with the United Nations and various Iraqi ministries, which establish the concept of a sustainable green economy as a [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] instead of oil.”[/size]

[size=45]Saad Salman, a technical advisor at the Iraqi Ministry of Environment, explained that "the green paper is one of the promising projects that the government is seeking, and it is a strategic plan that is not related to the work of  [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]  only, but that future governments will take it as an approach."[/size]
[size=45]And he stated in an interview that "all Iraqi ministries participate in the success of the plan (the Green Paper), but the greatest effort will fall on the ministries of agriculture, environment and water resources."[/size]
[size=45]Salman added that "Iraq needs to get out of the cycle of dependence on oil as the only source of funds for the state treasury, and the new direction depends on sustainable encouragement of renewable energies and the encouragement of biodiversity and nature-based solutions." The first announcement of the green paper was at the climate conference held in Scotland in November 2021, in which Iraq participated at the time.[/size]
[size=45]The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, had earlier spoken to reporters in Baghdad, expressing his regret that “the agricultural sector in Iraq has been affected by long decades of wars and conflicts,” noting that “we must work and make every effort to return Iraq to its agricultural position in the region.”[/size]
And the economic expert, Abdul Rahman Al-Mashhadani, indicated that “Iraq will certainly go in the coming periods to strengthen its financial treasury by developing non-oil sectors, because dependence on oil has made Iraq on more than one occasion in a difficult situation, especially after the collapse of its prices following the outbreak of the Corona virus.” However, there are problems that will face the strengthening of sectors, including agriculture.
[size=45]He pointed out in a call that “there is a need to develop agriculture, because Iraq still relies on old and traditional methods, in addition to solving water scarcity problems through communication with Iran and Turkey, and removing pollutants from agricultural lands on the one hand, and the rivers and tributaries that feed them on the other. “.[/size]
[size=45]He considered that "Iraq can export its agricultural products, and tourism has a major role in supplying the Iraqi treasury, but there is a need to pay attention to archaeological sites and keep antiquities dealers away from them, and some gangs benefiting from illegal excavations."[/size]
[size=45]Iraq is the second largest producer of crude oil in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries "OPEC" after Saudi Arabia, with an average production of 4.6 million barrels per day, and depends on oil for 96 percent of its financial revenues. Most of the previous government pledges to revitalize the agricultural and industrial sectors, and to strengthen the tax and investment program to reduce dependence on oil, did not succeed.[/size]
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