Environmental Constraints on Agricultural Production and Their Implications for Food Security in Iraq

^1,2 University of Kufa, Faculty of Arts, Najaf, 540011, Iraq
³ University of Kufa, Faculty of Science, Najaf, 540011, Iraq

^* Corresponding author E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Agriculture remains a central component of food security and rural livelihoods in Iraq; however, the sector is increasingly constrained by interlinked environmental and socio-economic pressures. This study examines the principal challenges affecting agricultural productivity, including soil salinization, desertification, water scarcity, land degradation, and institutional constraints on land tenure and farmer support systems. Using official national datasets, United Nations environmental assessments, and historical policy documents, the analysis identifies how climate variability, inefficient irrigation practices, and weak environmental management frameworks have accelerated ecological deterioration in major agricultural regions. The combined effect has been a decline in domestic food production capacity, leading to greater reliance on imported staple crops and reduced resilience to external supply disruptions. The study proposes a set of integrated environmental rehabilitation and governance reforms emphasizing sustainable water management, land restoration programs, farmer capacity-building, and policy restructuring. Strengthening environmental stewardship and resource governance is presented as a critical pathway to enhance Iraq’s agricultural sustainability and achieve long-term national food security.