Iraq’s farmers and fishermen struggle amid drought



Iraq is among the nations most severely impacted by climate change, with its effects being particularly devastating for the country's farmers. Rising temperatures and reduced water availability have led to a significant decline in crop yields in recent years.

Farmers in various sectors, such as Sarhan Jaber Taher, who comes from a long line of water buffalo rearers, are also feeling the strain. Taher’s family currently cares for 200 out of 300 buffalo, relying on their milk for income. However, the changing climate is gradually eroding their profits.

For centuries, the Euphrates River, the longest in Western Asia, has nourished the Fertile Crescent—a historically fertile region spanning several countries, including Iraq. However, the river’s water supply in central Iraq has been dwindling due to a combination of upstream dams, outdated irrigation methods, and the effects of climate change.

Officials report that water flows in the Euphrates and the parallel-running Tigris River were down by approximately 70 percent last year compared to previous decades. Additionally, Iraq has lost a fifth of its arable land over the past 20 years, exacerbating water scarcity and further threatening the livelihoods of those who depend on agriculture.

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