The prime minister's advisor provides detailed plans for achieving food security

INA-  Baghdad



Advisor to the Prime Minister for Financial Affairs, Madhar Mohammed Saleh, announced on Thursday three comprehensive strategies to achieve food security, while identifying the main pillars of food security in the country. 

 The adviser to the prime minister told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "There is a joint complementarity between agricultural, trade and fiscal policies in Iraq," noting that "these policies constitute basic pillars of food security in the country."  

He pointed out that "the agricultural policy, in coordination with the trade policy, is working to secure Iraq's annual need of cereals, which is estimated at about 6 million tons, through farming campaigns, identifying cultivated areas and providing water rations, in addition to seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and state-subsidized equipment."

"This co-ordination also depends on fiscal policy, which provides the necessary financial support for the purchase of grain from farmers, as well as trade programmes that ensure the provision of food basket items through imports, allowing the distribution of these materials at subsidized prices close to free among citizens," he said. 

 "Food security in Iraq is a vital issue that affects the lives of millions, as Iraq relies heavily on importing food to meet the needs of its population," Saleh said.  

He pointed out that "achieving food security always requires comprehensive strategies that include agricultural reforms, resource management, and strengthening regional cooperation to ensure the availability and sustainability of food for the population," stressing "the importance of coordination between the ministries of agriculture and trade to achieve the unity of policies necessary to ensure sustainable food security."