High water salinity is causing difficulties for farmers and livestock in Iraq.

In southern Iraq, challenges posed by elevated salinity levels are increasingly affecting the livelihoods of local farmers, including Umm Ali, a 40-year-old resident of the historical Al-Mashab marshes in Basra province. Once a region teeming with life and water, this area has faced severe environmental degradation, leaving many families struggling to maintain their agricultural practices.

Umm Ali, a widowed mother of three, has experienced the harsh impact of climate change firsthand. With rising salinity levels rendering the water supply unsafe for both human consumption and livestock, she has lost numerous poultry from her flock, including 15 chickens and dozens of ducks this season. The emotional weight of watching her hard work vanish has taken a toll on her spirit as she grapples with the increased difficulty of sustaining her family.

According to Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources, the country is encountering unprecedented salinity levels not seen in nearly nine decades. Recent reports show that salinity levels in central Basra have spiked to approximately 29,000 parts per million, a stark increase from just 2,600 parts per million last year. For context, freshwater should ideally contain less than 1,000 ppm of dissolved salts, while saline sea water measures around 35,000 ppm.

Experts attribute the worsening salinity crisis to a confluence of factors, including reduced freshwater inflows from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers—whose dwindling waters converge into the Shatt al-Arab waterway loaded with pollutants. Hasan al-Khateeb from the University of Kufa notes that diminishing water levels have reached alarming lows, threatening to exacerbate the challenges facing farmers reliant on irrigation.

As the agricultural landscape shifts, the United Nations has highlighted that nearly 25% of women in Basra and adjacent provinces are engaged in farming. For local farmer Zulaykha Hashem, the impact is palpable, as compromised water quality poses a risk to her pomegranate and berry crops. The reality is stark for many, who feel an acute sense of entrapment in their current situation, as leaving the land is not a feasible option amidst drought conditions.

The UN’s International Organization for Migration has documented significant climate-induced displacement, reporting that by October 2022, around 170,000 individuals in central and southern Iraq had been forced to leave their homes due to water-related crises. Maryam Salman, who relocated from nearby Missan in search of better conditions for her buffalo, exemplifies the challenges many face as water scarcity and salinity issues mount.

In response to these dire circumstances, the Iraqi government has initiated a forward-thinking desalination project aimed at improving water quality in Basra, with plans to produce one million cubic meters of desalinated water daily. Experts suggest a dual approach, advocating for both improved management of the shared river waters and investment in infrastructure that promotes sustainable agricultural practices.

While the road to recovery may be long, the resilience of communities like Umm Ali’s remains evident. The interconnectedness of water, health, and agricultural vitality emphasizes the need for coordinated efforts in addressing these regional challenges. With the right support and investment in sustainable solutions, there is hope for revitalizing Iraq’s agricultural heartland amid rising salinity levels.

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