Agri-Tech Solutions for Better Climate Resilience in Displacement Affected Areas in Iraq

Climate change wreaks havoc on crops in Iraqs rural areas

Climate change have severe consequences for small-scale farmers in Iraq, who lack resources to tackle challenges like extreme weather and pests. This jeopardizes global crop yields, potentially dropping by 30% by 2050, leading to hunger and insecurity.

In Iraq, agriculture is vital for recovery and job creation, with small-scale farming dominating the sector. However, farmers face vulnerability due to traditional practices, limited investments, and shocks like COVID-19 and climate change.

Boosting the agricultural sector is crucial for Iraq's economy diversification and poverty reduction, because agriculture is the primary employment source for rural areas, including women.

Promoting climate-resilient practices through research

DRC aims to explore the use of digital platforms in the agriculture sector to promote climate-resilient practices. The research project's main objective is to assess the potential of digital technologies in Iraq's agriculture sector, identifying opportunities for DRC programming to support climate resilience.

To achieve this, DRC will conduct detailed technical research on Iraq's digital ecosystem, with the goal of designing programs and providing support for climate-resilient agriculture practices.

The research outputs will include mapping existing digital technologies and actors in Iraq's digital ecosystem related to climate adaptation and mitigation.

Additionally, the project will examine the availability and effectiveness of infrastructure supporting digital technologies for climate-smart agriculture practices, including the role of the private sector and government.

Furthermore, the project will focus on mapping services and identifying gaps in areas such as Weather and Climate Services, climate-smart agriculture digital advisory services, early warning systems, and agriculture intelligence.

It will also explore farmers' familiarity and capacity to utilize existing services and their potential to adopt new digital solutions.

Through this research initiative, DRC aims to pave the way for effective utilization of digital technologies in agriculture, supporting climate resilience efforts in Iraq.