Baghdad: The Ministry of Agriculture is actively exploring a collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP) to establish a geospatial database and information infrastructure aimed at combating desertification. This initiative was the focus of a recent meeting chaired by Dr. Bassam Kanaan Abdul-Jabbar, the Director General of the Forestry and Desertification Control Department.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the national proposal discussed during the meeting is designed to address desertification, land degradation, and reduce dust storms across five governorates: Anbar, Najaf, Nineveh, Muthanna, and Sulaymaniyah. The plan includes preparing degradation and biophysical suitability maps, conducting field surveys and creating community maps, developing a unified geographic database, and training national personnel. The project also aims to provide analytical reports to assist decision-making centers.

Dr. Abdul-Jabbar highlighted the critical role of modern geospatial technologies in strategic environmental planning. He underscored the importance of these technologies in accelerating Iraq’s progress towards achieving its international commitments concerning land degradation neutrality (LDN).