SOAS Research Online

Abstract

In the north-east region of Iraq, special physical and institutional conditions have governed the use of the land resources. Both the physical environment and the socioeconomic structures have imposed great constraints on the management of agriculture and the land resources. The uneven terrain of the majority of the region is responsible for the generally poor soil conditions and substandard farm operations. Political instability, low management skills and depressed rural income have further inhibited enterprise and hindered improvement and conservation of the environment. In choosing a method for evaluating the land resources for rainfed agriculture and grazing, the FAO approach was selected. Fundamental to this approach is that a value (suitability class) given to a land unit is relevant only in relation to a clearly defined use. In view of the scarcity of data, difficulties associated with field verification and lack of detailed background surveys, broad (reconnaissance) inventories of the resources have been prepared, permitting the selection of possible future areas of development and of management priorities. In this method, the land resources have been appraised on an essentially qualitative basis, and economic analysis was carried out in general terras. Affected by erratic and sometimes insufficient rainfall, the agricultural lands of the region are largely under an extensive and traditional mode of rainfed agriculture. Driven primarily by considerations of survival, inputs in agriculture are minimised, and pressures for self- sufficiency have jeopardised chances of obtaining a high level of marketable surplus. Equally constrained are the region's grazing activities. In the absence of controls on utilisation, firm tenure and modern technology, the vegetation and soil fertility have progressively deteriorated, while farmers continue to increase their stocks to meet demand for livestock products in excess of available pasture. The study concludes with a commentary on the management options for the region, with a view to achieving a better standard of utilisation of the renewable land resources for the two major agricultural sectors in the north-east region, rainfed agriculture and grazing.