Baghdad Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi affirmed that the repercussions of the political situation have led to the problems that we are going through, and that the reality will change with the wide participation in the elections.
He explained during several meetings he had with a number of graduates of the College of Agriculture and Peasants in Wasit Governorate: The land of Mesopotamia is the cradle of the development of agriculture and the origin of the oldest riverine civilizations, and your ancestors are among the foundations of agriculture, its techniques and its arts, and Iraq is the land of blackness because of the fertility of its land.
He added: Iraq used to be a storehouse of grain in the Middle East, from which various agricultural crops were exported, but unfortunately, agriculture in Iraq has been affected by long decades of wars and conflicts.
He indicated that it is neither reasonable nor acceptable for Iraq to import agricultural crops and it has been producing them since time immemorial, so we must work and make all efforts to return Iraq to its agricultural position in the region.
He stressed that the government was keen to support and develop agriculture, and we succeeded in self-sufficiency for some crops. We were even able to export several crops to neighboring countries during the past year.
He explained: We provided support to farmers by preventing the import of some agricultural products. In addition, loans and assistance were provided to farmers to develop their work and increase agricultural production.
He continued: We have to develop agricultural work in Iraq, as many agricultural methods are still traditional.
He stressed that agriculture cannot succeed in Iraq without developing and without agricultural industries, and this requires large investments that the government works to provide and support to investors at home and abroad.
He explained: The success of all these projects depends on your tremendous efforts and your practical and professional experiences through which you will build Iraq.
He pointed out that there is anarchy in planning in Iraq, which has caused the accumulation of a large number of problems.
Al-Kadhimi stressed the importance of specialization in work in order to move the country to a real state of institutions, and we want everyone to participate in building Iraq and allow the competencies to take their place.
He explained, “The total dependence on oil has turned into an attraction for corruption, and we must rely on real alternatives, the most important of which is agriculture.”
He explained that we must stop wasting water and use modern technologies.
He indicated that weapons are not a solution, nor is imposing wills through uncontrolled weapons a solution, and liquidation is not a solution, but elections and their participation in them are what change the situation for the better.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency