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Burgess Manuscript
IRAQ ... A New Direction 2006
A Strategy for Peace
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Chapter 15: Sectors ... Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
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Crop Agriculture
Important sector
Crop agriculture is part of the productive sector, and of huge importance in the
global scheme of things. Without food, there is no life. The revolution in
agricultural productivity set the stage for the “north” to become wealthy a long
time ago, and it is often overlooked that “north” agriculture remains amazingly
productive. Under 5% of the “north” population is engaged in agriculture and
there are embarrassingly large surpluses.
In contrast poor “south” countries might well have 80% of the population
engaged in rural agriculture and associated support activities, and the country is
hungry because there is not enough food. This is all about productivity, and a
terrible failure of the relief and development community.
Irrigation
Iraq does not have much rainfall, and irrigated agriculture is one way to
improve agricultural productivity. There are many lessons to be learned from
history. The human and social dimension have to be taken into consideration as
well as technical considerations like managing salinity.
Israel has demonstrated that irrigation can be used successfully to change the
productivity of arid land. So also has South Africa and Namibia in Africa and
California in the United States.
Rainfed agriculture
Rainfed agriculture is limited because of the very low and erratic precipitation
in the area. Some drought tolerant crops are possible in some areas. The way in
which the low and erratic precipitation problem has been solved in traditional
agriculture has been in a very practical way. Periodic torrential rainfall in the
watersheds of the various river systems produces flash floods that inundate
large areas of very dry land. The water and nutrients associated with these flash
floods create opportunities for crop agriculture, and very large areas can be
seeded very quickly when these situations occur. If the crops mature, there can
be large surpluses that then add to family and community level food security.
A variety of crops
Various fruits and vegetables can be grown in the area very successfully, but
they do need an adequate supply of water. Very small plots have produced
substantial amounts of tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc. but these plots compete for
water with human and animal needs.
There are many tree crops that could be successful in the Iraq conditions. These
include various citrus fruits as well as date palms.
Small farmers usually have some cattle that are the basis for dairy products,
primarily milk. The exploitation of the market for milk has been growing and
dairy is now an important part of the agro-pastoral revenue. When there is
serious drought the settled agro-pastoral community is more at risk than the
pure pastoralist who has the opportunity to move to a better location.
There is an existing bee-keeping industry that provides the community with
honey that is used in a lot of traditional area food.
Water
Water is the foundation of everything. The success of settled agriculture in the
area depends more than anything else on water. There are many ways in which
water can be provided to achieve success in the development of settled
agriculture, but anything that is done must be acceptable to the community and
be done on a way that serves the best interests of the community as the
community sees it. Furthermore the development of water for one community
group must not have a damaging impact on the way of life and economy of
another group.
Tractors
Community groups can also make productive use of tractors. Some groups have
found used tractors to buy at reasonable prices and have done so. Good used
tractors would be a suitable subject for loan financing under the project
development fund.
Training and extension
Training and extension is needed to add to the knowledge of the community
about agricultural and development possibilities.
Livestock and Range Management
Important part of agriculture
Livestock is an important part of agriculture in some parts of the country.
Livestock are the source of revenue for the nomadic pastoral community and
also represent family wealth, food security and economic security. The lifestyle
of the nomadic pastoralist is very different from that in urban and even settled
rural communities. Water is the most important factor in the success or failure of
the pastoral livestock economy. The role of water in the economy is complex,
and it is not just a simple matter of more water is better. The economy is quite
productive in the sense that a very small amount of water generates a significant
amount of economic value added, but it is a fragile economy and a very high
risk economy. Animal health is very important to the pastoral community.
Rangeland management
There has been little impact on rangeland through management initiatives,
though rangeland management could increase the productivity of the range and
its carrying capacity.
Livestock markets
Livestock markets at the producer level are not as fair as they should be, with
middlemen traders taking advantage of the producer to the maximum extent
possible. This is an age old problem, and not easily solved by direct government
or development intervention.
Livestock health and veterinary medicine
Livestock health is an important factor. Health services are needed, but they
should be created subject to the discipline of market economics and expansion of
the service capability funded by the beneficiaries.
Veterinary medicine has not been delivered effectively to the pastoral livestock
community, though technically it has a lot to offer. To the extent that there has
been veterinary extension and availability of veterinary drugs, there has been an
improvement in animal health, but the use of the capabilities of modern
veterinary science has been very small to date.
Animal quality improvement
There are many ways in which animal quality can be improved, but the time
frame is not fast. Culling poor animals from the herd is a starting point, and
doing selective breeding starts the process of improved animal quality. The
process of implementing and animal quality improvement strategy can go as
fast as the community wants it to, but the results are not immediate. Eventually,
it is to be expected that some communities will reach the stage where their
animals are bred using artificial insemination (AI), and as this stage is reached it
can be expected that other aspects of rangeland management, animal health and
livestock marketing will all have progresses as well.
Fodder and feedlots
Food security for animals is a serious development issue that can be addressed
through commercial fodder production and storage. The loss of value as animals
go to market can also be addressed through commercial feedlot operation.
Marketing centers
Livestock marketing centers should be encouraged. These centers should be of
value to the livestock owner wanting to sell and to the commercial community
as a whole. These centers need to be able to handle not only the water needs of
the animals, but also the fodder requirement. They should have access to market
information to assist in the operation of a fair and efficient market. They will
naturally evolve into more comprehensive commercial centers with hotels,
restaurants, shops and a full range of commercial services. To the extent that
they are created at existing commercial centers, there will be substantial
economic growth.
Fisheries
Fisheries not particularly important
The fisheries sector has not been important in Iraq. There are some fishing
operations in the Gulf, and there is some river fishery activity. Compared to the
major fund flows from oil this is inconsequential, but in terms of communities
that live in the riverine areas it is important.
Fish resources
Fish resources are becoming more and more problematic. There is overfishing
almost everywhere and Iraq is likely to be in the same situation. Fish resources
probably already constrain the fishery.
Resource management
Data concerning the fishing resources of the country should be collected and
analyzed so that a sustainable management regime for the resources can be
established. Almost every country in the world with fishing resources has
exploited the resources beyond their sustainable yield and has experienced a
decline in the value of the fishery product.
Fish marketing and cold storage
Fish needs to be fresh, or processed so as to be in a form acceptable to the
market. A primary requirement is a lot of ice, and cold storage capacity. For a
high volume fishery it may be desirable to have fish processing capability
including filleting, etc. It should be noted that fish is one of the few products
where the value is highest with the least amount of processing, with additional
handling and processing reducing rather than adding value.
Fish transport needs to be fast and efficient. Fish is high value, but also loses its
value rapidly if there are any delays. The roads along the coast are totally
insufficient for a successful fishing industry, and most refrigerated trucks are
not going to last long traveling over the rough roads that are the norm in the
area at the present time.
Food
Food is Essential
Food is an essential, and should be easily available for everyone. The food sector
is driven by markets ... with more or less intervention from government to
encourage a sustainable supply of food. This translates into government
subsidies and various incentives to produce more or produce less, and
modalities that put food into the market at prices that are below cost.
One of the purest examples of market is to be found in remote rural areas where
food is exchanged in the market and reflects supply and demand in its most
basic form.
Food in Iraq
Food production in Iraq should be highly productive ... there are the conditions
for food production.
Food supply should also be more than adequate because there is the financial
capacity to import any food that is required.
Food security is an important, and there should be no difficulty with this on a
national level.
An area focus for food security
Some areas of Iraq may have local food shortages, and the local markets may be
be sufficient to handle shortages that last for a long time. On balance, Iraq
should be a food surplus producing area and can be an exporter of food. In spite
of this, from time to time there are local food shortages. The area needs to have
adequate capacity for food storage at the area and the community level.
An area focus for livestock security
Some areas of the country may need a mechanism to provide price stabilization
for livestock. The normal cycle for livestock in the agro-pastoral context is for
herds to increase in size when times are good, and then decline in difficult times.
Good times produce over-grazing and accelerate the arrival and seriousness of
bad times. At the same time, livestock prices follow a pattern that weakens the
economy, just when it will do the most damage. A livestock price stabilization
mechanism would make an immense difference to the economic performance of
the sector, for the benefit of all. The price stabilization mechanism requires not
only the funds to make purchasing interventions in the market, but a way for the
product to be processed in a way that allows for the food value to be conserved
for future use.
Infrastructure
Food security is enhanced if it is possible to move food stocks easily and at
relatively low cost. Food security is also enhanced if it is possible to store food
stocks with minimal loss in places where food stocks are needed, or likely to be
needed. As part of the overall area proposals there will be significant
improvement in the storage infrastructure. Food security is improved when
there is an efficient transport system.
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