LocationsA new generation of farmers using solar power and science to safeguard their heritage
January 20, 2026
Across southern Iraq, agriculture has long been the backbone of communities, sustaining livelihoods, cultures, and identities for generations. From the iconic date palms of Basra to the wheat fields and vegetable farms of Thi Qar, Maysan, and Muthanna, farming has never been simply an occupation. It is a living inheritance. Today, that inheritance is under pressure, but a new generation of farmers is reshaping its future through science, renewable energy, and climate-resilient practices.
Inheritance Under Pressure
For decades, traditional agricultural systems provided stability in southern Iraq. However, accelerating climate pressures have begun to erode these foundations. Farmers are facing chronic water scarcity, rising soil salinity, saltwater intrusion into rivers, and widening energy gaps that undermine productivity and sustainability. Practices such as flood irrigation, once effective, are increasingly incompatible with declining water availability and degraded land.
Field assessments revealed the scale of the challenge. Nearly two-thirds of surveyed farmers still relied on flood irrigation, while soil and water salinity testing remained limited. Financial constraints, lack of technical knowledge, and unreliable access to energy were consistently cited as barriers to modernization. Dependence on diesel fuel and unstable electricity supplies further increased costs and vulnerability. Without timely intervention, agricultural systems that had endured for centuries risked becoming unsustainable.
Recognizing this urgency, the Government of Japan and UNDP Iraq launched a targeted programme under the initiative “Strengthening Conflict-Sensitive, Peace-Positive Climate Action in the Southern and Euphrates Region of Iraq.” The objective extended beyond introducing new technologies. It aimed to enable farmers to transition toward low-emission, climate-resilient practices capable of protecting land, livelihoods, and social stability for future generations.
A Scientific Awakening Rooted in Local Reality
The transformation began with evidence. Prior to implementation, the project conducted surveys, land assessments, and market studies across Basra, Thi Qar, Maysan, and Muthanna. More than 250 farmers were consulted to identify constraints, priorities, and realistic entry points for change. The findings shaped a practical, context-specific curriculum designed to address salinity, inefficient water use, energy insecurity, and limited exposure to climate-smart agriculture.
Learning was grounded in practice rather than theory. In late 2025, intensive three-day trainings were delivered across the four governorates, engaging over 185 farmers in a hands-on, learning-by-doing approach. Abstract concepts were translated into tangible skills that could be applied immediately in the field.
Farmers strengthened their ability to manage land under saline and water-scarce conditions by improving drainage, increasing irrigation efficiency, and adopting measures to reduce soil degradation. They deepened their understanding of how salinity affects crops, explored salt-tolerant varieties, and learned how informed water management can restore productivity rather than exhaust resources.
For many participants, science became tangible for the first time. Farmers tested their own soil and water, measured electrical conductivity, learned by the word of mouth of peers. Knowledge shifted from distant theory to practical decision-making embedded in daily agricultural work.
The training also extended to livestock management. Improved feeding practices, manure handling, and hygiene measures demonstrated how animal health, environmental protection, and productivity are interconnected.
From Knowledge to Confidence and Action
The results were immediate and measurable. Pre- and post-training assessments showed significant gains in technical knowledge across all governorates. More importantly, these gains translated into confidence. Farmers reported a stronger ability to understand, adapt, and apply modern practices within their own constraints.
Across Basra, Thi Qar, Maysan, and Muthanna, the majority of participants expressed readiness to implement at least one new practice immediately, while others indicated strong intent to adopt changes in the near term. Improved irrigation scheduling, modern irrigation systems, and renewable energy solutions consistently ranked as top priorities.
At the center of this shift was a growing commitment to solar energy. Farmers identified solar-powered water pumping as a viable alternative to unreliable electricity grids and costly diesel fuel. Solar power offered stability, reduced emissions, and long-term affordability. When combined with improved irrigation management, it enabled farmers to reduce water loss, stabilize production during peak seasons, and protect soil and income from climate and energy volatility.
Sustainability, once perceived as an abstract concept, became a practical strategy grounded in everyday choices. Cleaner energy, smarter water use, healthier soils, and lower operating costs formed a pathway toward resilient livelihoods.
Safeguarding Heritage Through Adaptation
This transition from awareness to action signals the emergence of a new generation of agricultural stewards in southern Iraq. Farmers are no longer positioned solely as those affected by climate change. They are increasingly acting as agents of adaptation, using science and renewable energy to preserve their heritage through transformation rather than resistance.
By anchoring traditional knowledge in evidence and pairing ancestral practices with modern tools, these farmers are doing more than sustaining production. They are protecting a way of life. Fields are becoming spaces of experimentation and resilience, where solar energy replaces uncertainty, irrigation is guided by data rather than guesswork, and stewardship is measured not only by harvests, but by the long-term health of ecosystems.
They are not merely enduring the climate crisis. They are shaping its outcome and ensuring that agricultural heritage in southern Iraq remains productive, resilient, and alive for generations to come.
About the Project
The project “Strengthening Conflict-Sensitive, Peace-Positive Climate Action in the Southern and Euphrates Region of Iraq” is implemented by UNDP Iraq with the support of the Government of Japan through the Japan Supplementary Budget. It responds to intensifying climate pressures in southern Iraq, particularly water scarcity, soil salinity, land degradation, and energy insecurity, which threaten agricultural livelihoods, food security, and community stability. The initiative promotes scalable, evidence-based solutions that link climate resilience with peacebuilding and sustainable development.
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