wheat_production_and_its_impact_on_food_security

1. Wheat production and its impact on food security
Nakd Khamis
FAO Consultant

2. The impact of population growth and climate change on
food demand
Climate
Change
Lack of
water
resources
Population
growth
Loss of
biological
diversity
Drough
t
Desertifi
cation
Increased food
demand
Lack of food production
Plant
production
Animal
production
Fish
production
Sustainability of agricultural production
Low
productiv
ity

3. Iraq's need for wheat during the period
2003-2025
Iraq's need for wheat during the period 2003-
2025
Year
Need/1000 Ton

5. 5

7. Production of Wheat and Barley under rain-fed and irrigation
condition for 2000-2009

8. Areas planted with wheat and barley 48% under
rain-fed condition
With unfavorable climatic conditions
such as drought,
losing 38% of wheat
production and 68% of barley
production

14. Average water flow to Iraq (billion cubic meters)
2009 2025
Tigris 49.20 9.16
Euphrates 19.34 8.45
The Euphrates and Euphrates rivers may be depleted by 2040.
Source: IAU/MoWR 2010

15. Water shortage and climate change impact
• Late rainfall and moisture deficiencies will have resulted in reduction in plant growth, crop
yield and deterioration in rangeland vegetation,
• Crop failure in rain-fed areas may affecting HHs highly vulnerable and destitute,
• Affected farmers also facing shortage of cereal seeds for the upcoming seasons,
• Livestock will be suffering from unavailability of feed due to lack of range land,
• Threaten the food security in the whole country,
• Facing less casual job opportunities in their affected area,
• Males and elders going to be forced to temporally immigrate looking for job opportunities
in other areas / across borders,
• Social Impact
• Economic Impact
• Environment Impact

16. SERIOUS FUTURE CONCERNS
 Iraq relies on the Tigris and Euphrates systems for 98 percent of its drinking, irrigation, and sanitation
water. Dropping levels in these riverine environments, however, have caused ripple effects across
Iraq’s other sectors.
 Agriculture consumes most of Iraq's water consumption. It consumed about 92% of total fresh water
for food production and irrigation.
 GAP project in Turkey has reduced river-flow into Iraq by 80 percent to-date according to government
official and with compellation of other dams, it would be further a considerable affect the Iraq’s water
resources, especially the Tigris River.
 Similar Iranian projects have diverted the course of rivers and streams flowing into Iraq to remain
within its territory, depriving Iraq of its water share, causing the drying up of many of these rivers.
 Minister of Water Resources in Iraq predicted that the arrival of a severe drought in Iraq, stressing that
the countryside will be severely affected, and the inability of areas south of Baghdad and Nasiriyah to
get drinking water in the summer.