Agriculture raises the alarm: 90% of the land is threatened with desertification

POSTED ON[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] BY [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

[size=52]Agriculture raises the alarm: 90% of the land is threatened with desertification[/size]

[size=45]The Ministry of Agriculture announced a proposal to develop a national program for afforestation of Iraq, calling for funding it from licensing rounds for oil contracts, stressing that 90% of the lands are subject to desertification, while talking about large areas of sand dunes threatening the southern governorates.[/size]
[size=45]Ministry spokesman Hamid Al-Nayef said, "The ministry proposes that there be a national program for afforestation of Iraq, sponsored by the federal government and in which all official institutions participate."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Nayef added, "The Ministry of Agriculture will be present in this project if it is implemented as the supporting body, and we will work to implement it as required."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "The financial allocations for this project can come from licensing rounds at a rate of 1%, as well as oil companies, and these amounts are transferred to the afforestation process."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Nayef explained, "This project is of economic importance, as it provides thousands of job opportunities because it needs people to undertake the cultivation process and others to follow up on the planted trees and provide services to them."[/size]
[size=45]He stressed, "The step would contribute to the afforestation of Iraq and soil stabilization," calling for "to stay away from prosthetic solutions, as they did not reach the desired goals and results."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Nayef believes that "the licensing rounds are able to provide the financial allocation for the entire afforestation process in Iraq and restore the green belt without costing us any money."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "Desertified lands are constantly increasing, and cities have begun to be raided due to the lack of green belts, and their results have recently appeared through dust storms."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Nayef added, "This crisis must be well understood and strategic solutions must be sought through the participation of all responsible parties."[/size]
[size=45]In addition, Rawya Al-Azzawi, Director General of the Department of Forestry and Combating Desertification in the Ministry, revealed that there is "a possibility of desertification of 90% of the lands in Iraq."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Azzawi added that "the issue is large and very dangerous," noting that "4 million dunams of sand dunes are found only in the sedimentary plain located between the governorates of Dhi Qar, Muthanna and Qadisiyah, and this poses a great danger to the southern governorates and the middle Euphrates."[/size]
[size=45]And she considered, "The desertification crisis is subject to increase and decrease depending on the climatic conditions in the country and the size of the available support."[/size]
[size=45]For his part, the expert in the agricultural sector, Tahsin al-Moussawi, said that "Iraq is witnessing pollution in the soil, water and air."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Moussawi added, "Iraq is facing pathological causes and a dangerous humanitarian crisis that portends disasters, and the issue of desertification is borne by the internal authorities by not carrying out their duty to put a green belt on cities."[/size]
[size=45]And he called, "that the government take the necessary measures that would contribute to securing the green belt and planting cities."[/size]
[size=45]The Minister of Environment, Jassem Al-Falahi, had confirmed the classification of Iraq as one of the countries most affected by climatic changes and desertification.[/size]
[size=45][You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]