Iraq - Country Office

1. Overview
2. Country Strategy
3. Priorities
4. Key Program Managers
5. Current Projects
6. Concluded Projects
7. Achievements
8. Relevant Publications
9. Country News and Stories
10. Fellowship Statistics

Country Office

Key indicators and performance for 2006-07

Indicator: At least five Iraqi scientists receive in-depth training in integrated pest management (IPM)

Performance: Five Iraqi scientists trained by CSIRO and QLD Dept of Primary Industries and Fisheries for 5 months of intensive IPM

Indicator: CIMMYT wheat lines identified with improved yield and/or disease resistance to local lines in field trials in Afghanistan

Performance: Eighty-two promising bread wheat lines advanced based on both yield and disease resistance as evaluated in multi-site yield trials

Achievements from the 2006-07 Annual Report

The jasmine white fly project has concluded. As recorded in last year's annual report, a strategic plan for the management of jasmine fly and also the dubas bug in the date palm/citrus complex of central Iraq has been submitted to the Iraqi government and formally accepted. How to act on the plan will require considerable further discussion, planning and development. Five Iraqi scientists have spent time in Australia, three located with Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries to work on active integrated pest management projects, while a further two were located at CSIRO Entomology in Brisbane working as part of the silverleaf whitefly biocontrol program.

Another project has sought to develop better crop germplasm and management for improved production of wheat, barley and pulse and forage legumes in Iraq. Despite many difficulties, the project has gone remarkably well, facilitated by the enthusiasm, flexibility and dedication of Iraqi collaborators, the proximity of ICARDA in Syria, and the interest and support of ICARDA and Australian scientists. An agreed workplan for the demonstration program has been carried out as planned at 13 locations in the four main agroclimatic zones. However, heavy rain, security concerns, land disputes and transport shortages have reduced from 80 down to 30 the planned research trials evaluating better adapted lines/varieties.

On-farm demonstrations of improved varieties were conducted as planned in the following types of location: three high-rainfall areas; four medium-rainfall areas; three low-rainfall areas; three with supplementary irrigation. Best-bet technologies and new lines/varieties were tested and demonstrated with farmers in a participatory manner at these sites.

In project-linked research at ICARDA, a range of varieties/lines of oats, peas, canola and other oilseeds from Australian collaborators was introduced and tested for adaptation and use in Iraq. Some varieties grew and seeded very well. The trial was inspected and discussed with several groups of visiting Iraqi scientists, and seed from material of interest in Iraq and ICARDA was collected for broader testing.

The project has re-established international linkages amongst Iraqi, ICARDA and Australian scientists. Twenty-six Iraqi scientists have participated in six ICARDA training courses, and there were several visits by others to discuss and plan project activities. Australian collaborators have presented four seminars of relevance to Iraq, covering advances in cereal and legume improvement, crop management and crop-livestock interactions in Australia.