The Green Climate Fund (GCF)-backed project, “Strengthening Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Iraq” (SRVALI), was officially launched on the sidelines of the 5th Baghdad International Water Conference.
With a total investment of $39 million, the SRVALI project aims to directly benefit rural households in the governorates of Karbala, Najaf, and Muthanna regions, which are increasingly affected by drought, land degradation, and water scarcity.
The project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), will improve the livelihoods of two million vulnerable Iraqis and contribute to the country’s long-term food security and economic stability.
The project includes a generous co-financing from the Government of Canada and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
"The SRVALI project is a testament to Iraq's strong national ownership and commitment to delivering sustainable solutions to those most affected by climate change," -stated FAO Director-General QU Dongyu at the project's launch ceremony in Baghdad.
He commended the Ministries of Environment, Water Resources, Planning, and Agriculture for their exemplary partnership throughout the project's development.
The Republic of Iraq has formally announced its intention to develop a substantial portfolio of projects to enhance its climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. This programme will serve as a framework for GCF in assessing funding applications and determining future financial requirements.
The Minister of Environment of the Republic of Iraq, Dr. Hallo Al Askari, stated that the primary objective of the Country Programme is to facilitate the implementation of Iraq's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
“Our NDCs encompass strategies for mitigating diverse sources of greenhouse gas emissions, spanning the energy, industrial, and transportation sectors, alongside measures to adapt to the effects of climate change within the most at-risk sectors, notably agriculture and water resources,” he said.
The unveiling of the Country Programme follows the October 2024 approval of GCF’s first project in Iraq - “Strengthening Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agriculture Livelihoods.
The project aims to strengthen the climate resilience of vulnerable agricultural households in Iraq, focusing on water efficiency through modern irrigation infrastructure and the empowerment of Water User Associations (WUAs), promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices, and supporting the development of policies for water and energy management and renewable energy systems such as solar-powered irrigation.
According to GCF, permanent changes in Iraq will involve transformative reforms in agricultural water management policies, improved irrigation technologies, and widespread integration of renewable energy solutions.
"These changes will foster a more sustainable and climate-resilient water management and agricultural practice, contributing to the country’s long-term food security and economic stability. The project will also promote gender equity by empowering women as key change agents, fostering inclusive and sustainable community development," - its statement reads.
Three powerful explosions were reported early Tuesday at Al-Taji military base, about 30 kilometres north of Baghdad.
Oil prices dropped 1% on Monday after hitting five-month highs, as markets assessed the impact of U.S. strikes on Iran and potential risks to oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iraq has officially reopened the Qaim border crossing with Syria, allowing trade and passenger traffic to resume in a key step toward restoring economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized the voluntary evacuation of military dependents from locations across the Middle East, a U.S. defense official said Wednesday.
Iraq’s oil minister has voiced concerns over two major energy deals worth $110 billion signed by the Kurdistan region, stressing that such agreements should be authorized by the federal government.
Masked law enforcement officers have detained Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the 'Sacred Struggle' movement in Armenia. He is accused of preparing terrorist attacks and an alleged attempt to seize power, according to the Investigative Committee.
The United States is not planning to impose additional sanctions on Russia for now, aiming instead to keep diplomatic channels open to pursue a peace deal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is now "much further away from a nuclear weapon" following recent U.S. airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites, contradicting reports that the damage only caused minor delays.
Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has announced a major reform initiative aimed at strengthening national sovereignty in the country’s space sector.
An historic mission began early on Wednesday (25 June) as astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) for their countries’ first-ever visit. They were joined by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and its European services to Amman, Jordan, effective immediately until 15 September due to escalating situation in the Middle East. Also, the air carrier temporarily suspended its flights between Astana, Kazakhstan, and Abu Dhabi.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
New research highlights that naturally-regenerating forests, often overlooked in climate policies, could remove carbon up to eight times faster than newly planted trees.
Azerbaijan has been elected Chair of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) key decision-making body, marking a first for the country and strengthening its role in global environmental policy.
Growers in Chile’s Atacama Desert are turning fog into water to grow crops, including lettuce and lemons, in one of the driest places on Earth.
More than 110 million people across Europe — or more than 20% of the population — are exposed to dangerous levels of transport noise that threaten human health, the environment, and economic stability, according to a new European Environment Agency (EEA) report released today (24 June).
A record 740 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity was added worldwide last year, but it's still not enough to meet a global goal to triple renewable capacity by 2030, according to a report by the Paris-based thinktank REN21 showed on Tuesday.
Masked law enforcement officers have detained Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of the 'Sacred Struggle' movement in Armenia. He is accused of preparing terrorist attacks and an alleged attempt to seize power, according to the Investigative Committee.
The United States is not planning to impose additional sanctions on Russia for now, aiming instead to keep diplomatic channels open to pursue a peace deal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is now "much further away from a nuclear weapon" following recent U.S. airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites, contradicting reports that the damage only caused minor delays.
Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has announced a major reform initiative aimed at strengthening national sovereignty in the country’s space sector.
An historic mission began early on Wednesday (25 June) as astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) for their countries’ first-ever visit. They were joined by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment