Before dawn, 60-year-old Haidar rises to tend to his rice field, a daily ritual familiar to all farmers in his village. For the past two weeks, he has watched helplessly as his crops wither from a lack of water. After a five-year hiatus from rice cultivation due to relentless drought, this season had reignited hope for Haidar, his neighbors, and the entire village of Al-Naghil. Encouraged by the rising water levels in the Shatt ash Shamiya, a branch of the Euphrates River, they eagerly planted amber rice, Iraq’s most prized variety.

Al-Naghil, nestled in the far south of Diwaniyah, was once a verdant agricultural haven. Today, it stands as a testament to the ravages of drought, reduced from its former glory to a landscape marked by despair and thirst. This village, the largest in both population and area in the Ghammas district and Diwaniyah governorate, depended on its river to water crops and livestock. Now, its farmers face an unprecedented crisis, grappling with the harsh realities of climate change and water scarcity.

In June, during a much-anticipated visit to Al-Naghil, Diwaniyah Governor Abbas Shuail Al-Zamily assured the local farmers of a bountiful and prosperous season ahead.

His words brought a glimmer of hope to the beleaguered community, which has been grappling with years of agricultural challenges. However, these promises turned out to be empty as the last third of the river dried up, plunging the farmers into frustration and despair. Abu Muhannad Al-Azmawi, the village head, recalls the initial excitement and renewed enthusiasm following the governor's visit, only to be followed by severe losses. Farmers, already financially strained, invested millions of dinars in their crops, only to watch their hopes wither alongside their fields.

Najah Al-Nabhani, Director of the Ghammas Agricultural Department, says, "this season, we strongly advised farmers against planting in fields dependent on branch rivers for irrigation. Unfortunately, their persistence led them to ignore this guidance, culminating in significant financial losses."

"The Ghammas district is an essential agricultural hub, covering 172,000 dunams (over 40,000 acres) of farmland, with 41,000 dunams dedicated to cultivating amber and jasmine rice. In times of plentiful harvests, Ghammas has produced over 40,000 tons of rice, underscoring its importance as a major agricultural region in the country," he added.

High-stakes gamble of agriculture

In the heart of the central Euphrates region, rice farming is a high-stakes endeavor. Unlike other grains, rice cultivation demands significant financial investment. Farmers start by plowing and leveling the land, followed by purchasing seeds—this year, 100 kilograms of amber rice seeds cost a staggering 200,000 dinars (US$152).

The expenses don't end there; fertilizers, herbicides, and other essential supplies add to the burden. Many farmers, strapped for cash, resort to deferred payment methods, which often double the prices of these critical inputs.

The financial fragility of farmers in Diwaniyah and the surrounding central provinces turns each planting season into a gamble. For these farmers, a successful harvest means they can recoup their expenses and earn enough to sustain their families. However, if the crops fail, they fall into a vicious cycle of debt, a trap from which escape can take years.

Hollow assurances from the governor

Abu Muhannad recounts how the local administration had warned against planting crops this season due to severe water shortages, but the governor's reassurances had filled the farmers with false hope. "The governor led us into this," Al-Azmawi laments, expressing the profound sense of loss and disappointment shared by him and his fellow farmers. Their plight didn't end there; they were forced to purchase drinking and washing water, while their livestock suffered from thirst.

Haidar Al-Miyali, another affected farmer, describes the situation as catastrophic. "The water isn't reaching us," he says, calling for compensation and a reliable supply of drinking water. The financial impact has been devastating, with each farmer losing at least three million Iraqi dinars, not including the costs of seeds and fertilizers bought on credit. The scarcity extended to fuel, essential for running water pumps. "Last night, the animals drank the water meant for us," Haidar adds.

Khalid Suwadi, a distressed resident of Al-Naghil, explains the situation: "The well has dried up," he says, pointing out that the wells that once provided water for the village are now barren. He expresses his sorrow over the dead crops and livestock, and the fact that the villagers have been without adequate water for more than 15 days.

"They deceived us," Khalid says, capturing the prevailing sentiment of disappointment and anger towards Governor Abbas Shuail Al-Zamily and his unfulfilled promises.

The plight of Al-Naghil's farmers is more than just a local issue; it mirrors the broader agricultural crisis in the central Euphrates region. Government neglect, compounded by water scarcity, climate change, and ineffective agricultural policies, has severely impacted farming communities. Al-Naghil's struggle is a stark example of the systemic challenges facing farmers across Diwaniyah and the central Euphrates, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable solutions and governmental support to revive the agricultural sector.

The sunset of Afak’s melon legacy

Abbas Ibrahim, 30, has been growing melons for 15 years on his family farm in Thuraima, a village named after the Thuraima River. This river branches into multiple tributaries, sustaining over twenty villages in the Afak district, northeast of Diwaniyah.

Once thriving, Thuraima was celebrated for its melons, the best in Diwaniyah, alongside crops like wheat, barley, and eggplants that filled the local markets. 

Today, the scene is starkly different. Abbas and his fellow villagers now dig wells to irrigate their dwindling crops, which are insufficient to meet their needs. The once-abundant melon fields have disappeared, and many farmers have abandoned their lands.

Abbas shares, "for the past four years, we've been digging wells that dry up quickly, forcing us to dig new ones. Sometimes, the water turns salty, causing skin diseases for many. Some of us have to buy water from tanker trucks at a cost of 5,000 dinars every two days for washing and drinking. We only see water in the Thuraima River during election seasons, when it flows for a few weeks before disappearing again."

Ahmed Sakr Al-Bashat, a member of the Diwaniyah Provincial Council, explains the situation facing the region. "The new local government is grappling with providing drinking water for residents, while agriculture has plummeted." Al-Bashat laments the decline of Diwaniyah, once Iraq’s preeminent province for rice cultivation—a tradition steeped in history. "This year, the rice cultivation area in Diwaniyah has shrunk to just 90,000 dunams, down from hundreds of thousands of dunams in the past. This crisis is not solely a matter of local water distribution but also implicates the central government," he emphasizes.

Parched prospects

The World Bank's 2023 Climate and Development Report paints a grim picture for Iraq's future, predicting that water availability in the country could decrease by up to 20% by 2050 due to climate change. This reduction is expected to have a devastating impact on agriculture, with Iraq projected to suffer more severe consequences than many other Middle Eastern countries. Rising temperatures will particularly harm wheat and coarse grains, with wheat yields anticipated to drop by 24.8%. This decline in crop productivity is likely to significantly affect Iraq's gross domestic product (GDP). However, the report suggests that improving water use efficiency could help mitigate some of these adverse effects.

A survey by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) highlights the current struggles faced by Iraqi farmers. The survey, conducted in July and August across four provinces, revealed that 60% of farmers are experiencing reductions in both cultivated areas and water usage. The NRC has urged authorities to enhance water resource management. Out of the 1,079 individuals interviewed, 40% were women, and 94% were rural residents. The report noted that "approximately 70% of surveyed farmers use flood irrigation, the most water-intensive method, which is unsuitable for areas prone to seasonal drought."

Neglect in the fields

Ahmed Sami, an agricultural engineer with deep roots in Diwaniyah’s farming community, warns of a severe decline in agriculture in central Iraq. He attributes this deterioration to several key factors. Foremost among them is the continued reliance on outdated methods, with many farmers still employing traditional flood irrigation despite the successful adoption of more efficient modern techniques in other parts of the country.

Sami criticizes the shortsightedness of farmers who have focused exclusively on cultivating wheat and rice, neglecting the potential of diversifying their crops. He points out that growing legumes and vegetables in greenhouses could yield faster and higher returns, enabling farmers to sell produce every 21 days.

Moreover, Sami highlights the declining fertility of the soil, exacerbated by the continuous annual planting of wheat and rice. This practice depletes the soil's essential nutrients and minerals, leading to progressively poorer yields. He advocates for solutions such as planting legumes, leaving fields fallow for a year, or employing crop rotation techniques to rejuvenate the soil and enhance its fertility.

Sami also notes a troubling trend among farmers. Increasing numbers are abandoning agriculture in favor of military enlistment, volunteering with the Popular Mobilization Forces, or relying on social welfare benefits. This shift, he argues, reflects a broader neglect of farming and a declining interest in its development. Sami underscores the urgency of addressing this issue through immediate intervention to transform agricultural strategies and educate farmers about modern methods and the benefits of crop diversification.

To address this crisis effectively, Sami calls for a concerted effort involving government agencies, local communities, and international organizations. He advocates for comprehensive plans that focus on sustainable water management, compensation for farmers' losses, and substantial improvements to agricultural infrastructure.

Introducing modern farming technologies is also crucial. Through these measures, Sami believes that the agricultural sector in Diwaniyah, and Iraq as a whole, can recover capacity and move towards self-sufficiency.