Where is the Ministry of Water Resources? A report criticizing the poor response to drought in Iraq

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[size=52]Where is the Ministry of Water Resources? A report criticizing the poor response to drought in Iraq[/size]

[size=45]The British newspaper "The Guardian" criticized the Ministry of Water Resources in Iraq for its failure to deal with the repercussions of the drought that hits the country's fertile lands and turns it into a barren desert, with devastating consequences for the lives of farmers who make up 18% of the population.[/size]
[size=45]The British newspaper began its report, which was published today, Wednesday, in English, by saying that the green land is turning into a barren desert in the Fertile Crescent region of Iraq, due to water scarcity, while the 8,000-year-old irrigation system, in addition to poor management, exacerbates the The effects of drought, crop death and livestock mortality.[/size]
[size=45]The British report dealt with the story of the farmer Abdul Hadi Muzhir, who was digging a well on his farm, 16 meters deep in the ground, but despite this depth, not a single drop of water appeared, indicating that Iraq witnessed a dry summer season, but the Muzher family has been in this place for four generations. She lives on growing wheat, vegetables and raising cows, and considers this year to be particularly exceptional.[/size]
[size=45]The report quoted Mezher, 35, as saying that "the green land has turned into a barren desert. I don't remember seeing anything like this in my life."[/size]
[size=45]The report pointed to a decline in the water level in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, where the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia flourished on their banks 8000 years ago.[/size]
[size=45]The British report indicated that government officials say that the reason behind this is the spread of water dam projects in the sources in neighboring Turkey and Iran, which represents a long-term problem, but it is exacerbated by the mismanagement of water resources and the increasing decline in the amount of rainfall.[/size]
[size=45]After the report mentioned that Iraq is considered the fifth country most exposed to the climate crisis, and that it is at the same time an oil-rich country that generates revenues of $ 10 billion per month, it pointed to the spread of corruption and the failure of governments to prepare to deal with what experts warn is coming.[/size]
[size=45]The report quoted Iraqi water engineer Nazir Al-Ansari, a professor at Lulea University of Sweden, as saying that "the officials do not look at the future of the country, and that all that matters to them is the extent to which they benefit from the positions they occupy," adding that "the people who took over the Ministry of Water (Resources) They have no experience."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Ansari considered that the rainfall in Iraq will decrease by 15-20% during the current century, which means that the water in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers will decrease by up to 73%, which will have serious repercussions on groundwater levels.[/size]
[size=45]However, the British report considered that the consequences were already devastating for farmers who depend on river water. For example, Muzhar crops did not achieve the hoped-for success during this year, which made his family of 13 people, without financial income, and forced him to start selling his meager cows. For a small amount compared to its usual price.[/size]
[size=45]The report quoted Mezher as saying, "The main responsibility lies with the government to secure the infrastructure...there is no planning and no support for farmers."[/size]
[size=45]According to the report, the agricultural sector has deteriorated for decades due to conflicts, lack of investment and global warming, while farmers’ profit margins have been declining due to increased expenditure costs and agricultural import prices, adding that the Iraqi government, instead of resorting to developing the agricultural sector, has reduced the area of ​​land allocated for agriculture by an amount The current half of the year in the context of dealing with the phenomenon of drought, which represents a painful blow to the agricultural sector, which occupies 18% of Iraqis.[/size]
[size=45]The report pointed out that the Mezher farm is located to the west of the ancient city of Babylon, whose empire was established during the second millennium BC through King Hammurabi's expansion of irrigation networks during the Sumerian era, adding that Iraq still depends on the same irrigation methods.[/size]
[size=45]In this context, Al-Ansari said that the irrigation techniques currently used, which were used 8,000 years ago, have very high water loss rates.[/size]
[size=45]The report indicated that irrigation water flows through a network of open channels, which leads to an increase in evaporation rates when temperatures exceed 50 degrees Celsius during the summer. The report continues that more water loss occurs when water reaches the fields, as farmers use flood-reliance techniques, instead of drip irrigation or the more accurate and economical sprinkler.[/size]
[size=45]The report goes back to the Mezher farm, where crops withered, including the grass intended to feed livestock, noting that one of the cows was so lean that it could not stop standing while its calf was begging for milk that it was unable to produce.[/size]
[size=45]"It's the first victim, but I expect more by the end of the summer," Mezher said, pointing to his cow.[/size]
[size=45]Because Mezher could not afford the cost of fodder, he sold 11 of his 17 cows for less than $20 each, even though the price of each one is usually between $800 and $1,000.[/size]
[size=45]The British report concluded by noting that water scarcity has exacerbated old tensions between farms located on irrigation canals, as accusations are being made that water diversions are being carried out to a greater extent than is acceptable. Oversight by the government to impose penalties on those who use excessive water.”[/size]
[size=45]The report concluded by saying that tens of thousands of people in southern Iraq have already been displaced due to the scarcity of water, with many taking refuge in crowded cities facing a lack of jobs and services, which is causing unrest.[/size]
[size=45]However, Mezher still refuses to give up the farm, saying, "This is the land of my ancestors."[/size]
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