Soil and Water Salinity in Iraq: Preliminary Analysis of Causes, Effects and Approaches to Management

Abstract

This report presents research in progress on the causes, effects, of soil and water salinity in central and southern Iraq. Its objective is to identify the best soil, agronomic, irrigation and drainage management practices for salinity management at the farm level.

Based on the land quality classification, governorates with low to medium salinity (6-20 dS/m) were identified from which districts with the lowest land quality were chosen. Three sites were selected in central and southern Iraq to cover areas suffering from salinity to carry out the study: Dujaila in Wasit Governorate; Musayab in Babil Governorate and Abu-AlKhaseeb in Basrah Governorate. Thirteen outstanding farmers were selected at Dujaila, 17 at Musayab, and 15 at Abu-Alkhaseeb. The criteria for the selection of outstanding farmers was based on their records of marketed crops in addition to the field trips made by the researchers to check the actual field situation including the best-bet salinity management techniques they practice.