Iraq's Wheat Harvest Threatened by Record Low Euphrates River Levels

Record Drought and Water Scarcity

• 💧 Iraqi wheat farmers, like Man Fatlawi near Najaf, are facing the driest year in modern history, with the Euphrates River at record lows.
• 📉 This severe water shortage has forced farmers to drastically cut planting, with Fatlawi reducing his wheat acreage to one-fifth of its normal level.
• 🌾 The reduced planting threatens to slash Iraq's wheat harvest by up to half, jeopardizing the country's goal of food security.

Climate Risk and Upstream Dams

• 🌡️ Iraq ranks fifth globally for climate risk, experiencing rising temperatures and declining rainfall.
• 🌍 The nation is heavily reliant on its neighbors, with 70% of its water supply coming from upstream dams in Turkey and Iran.
• ⚠️ These upstream dams are diverting a greater share of water, which the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) identifies as the biggest factor behind the current crisis.

Impact on Production and Food Security

• 📊 The FAO expects wheat production this season to fall by 30% to 50% due to the severe, multi-year drought that began around 2020.
• 💧 Water reserves have plummeted from 60 billion cubic meters in 2020 to less than 10 billion cubic meters.
• 📈 While the Iraqi government has previously invested in high-yield seeds and subsidies to achieve a surplus, the current crisis may force a return to increased imports and potentially higher food prices.