•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Turkey has long demonstrated a persistent commitment within its water policies to the extensive construction of dams and water storage projects across the Tigris and Euphrates basins, a strategy that inevitably leads to a decline in the average water inflow entering Iraqi territories. This reduction significantly impacts the foundations of Arab agricultural development in general, and Iraqi agricultural development in particular, thereby posing a direct threat to national food security. Consequently, this research aims to identify the primary challenges facing irrigation water in Iraq resulting from the expansion of Turkish water projects and their subsequent effects on agricultural growth. The findings indicate that the water inflow rates for both the Tigris and Euphrates have decreased substantially in recent years compared to previous decades, establishing a clear correlation where inflows diminish as time progresses due to Turkey’s continued implementation of upstream projects. Furthermore, the study reveals that this policy adversely affects agricultural lands by increasing soil salinity and promoting desertification across vast areas, thereby obstructing Iraq’s strategic agricultural development plans. It is therefore evident that water availability, rather than land, remains the primary determinant of agricultural development in Iraq; thus, Turkey's control over the twin rivers represents a critical constraint on the execution of national agricultural programs. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the Ministry of Water Resources continues negotiations with Turkey regarding its water policies in accordance with international law to reach a mutually beneficial resolution. Additionally, serious efforts should be directed toward dredging the Tigris and Euphrates riverbeds starting from their entry points into Iraq to raise water levels and reduce salinity, alongside the construction of more large-scale dams to maximize the storage capacity of incoming water resources.

DOI

10.33095/jeas.v15i53.1212

Subject Area

Economics

First Page

166

Last Page

187

Download

Share

COinS