Iraq wheat farms turn to wells as rivers hit historic lows

is no longer optional. Ali Fahad, a wheat farm owner in Basra, says desert agriculture now depends entirely on whether water quality is suitable for crops. He explains that wheat can tolerate agricultural water with salinity levels of 1,000 to 1,500, even up to 2,000, which he describes as excellent for the crop. The real problem, he says, is cost. Drilling wells, installing sprinkler systems and maintaining pumps has sharply increased production expenses at a time when many farmers are already under financial pressure. Conditions vary sharply across the country. In central provinces such as Najaf, farmers say groundwater is often unusable. Ma’an al-Fatlawi, another wheat farm owner, says wells in districts surrounding Najaf will not succeed because the water is either too saline or sulphurous. As a result, large areas of agricultural land remain uncultivated despite being prepared for planting, as farmers cannot rely on wells to sustain their crops. The agriculture ministry has ...