Baghdad braces for crisis with food security strategy
Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Hanoun stated that the package includes contracts to import substantial quantities of rice, along with measures to secure domestic supplies of sugar and cooking oil. The plan also outlines steps to safeguard national storage facilities against climate-related risks, helping preserve the country's strategic reserves.
To ease potential supply chain pressures, the Iraqi government has introduced temporary customs exemptions on essential food imports and lifted administrative restrictions during emergencies.
The ministry has also increased wheat procurement prices to support farmers and reduce dependency on imports in case of global trade disruptions, adding, 'The ministry will distribute food aid to low-income families and other vulnerable groups, in addition to doubling the items included in Iraq's food ration card during peak crises.'
On the enforcement front, the ministry has activated emergency monitoring efforts, deploying 'round-the-clock field teams' to supervise markets, prevent price manipulation, and combat hoarding. Citizens are urged to report violations through the 'Raqibni' (Monitor Me) platform, with the ministry promising 'immediate and direct responses.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Iraqi News
9 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Iraq carries out 19 major projects to increase oil and gas output
Baghdad ( – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stated on Thursday that the Ministry of Oil has completed 14 significant projects and is now working on 19 more across oil fields, refineries, and the gas industry. During a meeting with senior officials in Iraq's oil industry, al-Sudani emphasized the necessity of monitoring project progress, overcoming obstacles, presenting special reports, and organizing committees to address issues hampering project completion, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). According to al-Sudani, the most important projects completed are the development of the Al-Faihaa field, the construction of an oil pipeline network in Baghdad, the installation of gas compressors in the East Baghdad fields, the implementation of the second phase of the Artawi oil complex, the completion of the Halfaya gas processing project, the rehabilitation project of the northern refinery, and the installation of the isomerization unit in the Basra refinery. The undersecretary of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, Ali Maaraj, revealed in January that the ministry aims to increase oil production to about seven million barrels per day over the next five years. Increasing production capacity, which will reach seven million barrels per day over the next five years, is one of the primary objectives of the Iraqi Oil Ministry, according to Maaraj. In the upcoming timeframe, Maaraj noted, the ministry also hopes to completely end gas flaring and the importation of oil derivatives. The Deputy Minister for Extraction Affairs, Basim Khudair, revealed last September that the ministry has an ambitious plan to boost oil production to six million barrels per day to secure sufficient quantities for export. The ministry also seeks to achieve self-sufficiency in the produced gas needed for industrial purposes and electricity generation, according to Khudair. From 2005 to 2019, the country's oil output generally increased, peaking at about 4.78 million barrels per day. Iraq's annual oil production has been continuously declining since that time.
Shafaq News
10 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq holds Turkiye ‘fully responsible' for water shortage
Shafaq News – Baghdad Ankara has yet to respond to Baghdad's offer of major economic incentives, including expanded trade and electricity fuel imports, in exchange for increased water releases into Iraq, the Parliamentary Agriculture and Water Committee warned on Thursday. Committee Chairman Faleh al-Khazali told Shafaq News that 'the Turkish side has not replied despite 136 Turkish incursions and four military bases inside Iraqi territory,' questioning Ankara's seriousness in addressing the water crisis. Al-Khazali cautioned of 'grave consequences' if water shortages persist, saying the crisis could threaten social stability in central and southern provinces, while holding Turkiye 'fully responsible' if it fails to raise water flows. Iraq, according to the lawmaker, needs at least 800 cubic meters per second of water, while current Turkish releases are no more than 350 cubic meters per second and could fall to 300. 'This is insufficient to meet even the minimum demand,' he warned, adding that Baghdad's main water treatment plants risk going offline without a fair share of water. Turkiye had announced a partial increase in water flows earlier this month, raising the rate on the Tigris River to 420 cubic meters per second following a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani in Ankara. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani later confirmed that both Turkiye and Syria had agreed to boost water releases to Iraq. He said Turkiye would release 320 cubic meters per second to Mosul Dam and 350 cubic meters through the Iraqi-Syrian border, measures he described as essential to easing shortages in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Iraqi News
12 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Iraq to open Artificial Intelligence College
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Naeem Al-Aboudi, issued a ministerial order on Monday to establish the College of Excellence and the College of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Baghdad. According to a statement released by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the step is part of the ministry's strategic plan to strengthen the Iraqi academic system while keeping up with global digital and intellectual developments. The statement mentioned that the new colleges will open starting from the school year 2025–2026. The College of Artificial Intelligence will provide areas of study in engineering applications, biomedical applications, and big data. The College of Excellence will have departments for applied information systems, data science, e-business management, accounting and banking, philosophy, and sociology. The ministerial decision set August 20, 2025, as the deadline for fulfilling the logistical and staffing requirements for both colleges. In February, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani inaugurated the Digital Transformation and Automation Center at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. This development represents a significant step toward Iraq's transition to digital transformation, which is a crucial component of the country's strategy for advancing digital business and artificial intelligence. Al-Sudani emphasized earlier that the government has included digital transformation into its economic and administrative reforms, as well as electronic payments. The Iraqi prime minister also discussed the country's potential to drive a significant change in digital transformation and artificial intelligence. This includes the government's readiness to collaborate with the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) to create initiatives that will benefit both Iraq and the wider region in this area.
