Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — The 17th Agricultural Week Exhibition for agricultural mechanization, animal production, and food processing officially launched at the Baghdad International Fairgrounds on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

Operating under the theme “Supporting Agriculture to Harvest a Sustainable Future,” the exhibition hosts public- and private-sector pavilions featuring 209 local and international agricultural enterprises showcasing modern farming technology, climate-resilient crop inputs, and livestock pharmaceuticals.

Key Regional Partnerships & Technological Initiatives

1. Saudi-Iraqi Plant Biotechnology & Date Palm Expansion

30 Million Palm Target: Plant tissue culture specialist Saleh Al-Tuwaijri announced a strategic initiative to expand Iraq’s date palm population from approximately 20 million to 30 million trees.

Five-Year Production Capacity: Advanced tissue culture propagation techniques are projected to fulfill 30% to 40% of Iraq’s total seedling requirements over the next five years.

Domestic Biotechnology Labs: With logistical coordination from the Iraqi Ministries of Agriculture and Trade, the Saudi firm finalized the establishment of a specialized plant tissue culture laboratory inside Iraq.

Executive Backing: Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi, accompanied by the Ministers of Agriculture and Trade, toured the biotechnology pavilion during the exhibition to inspect progress and confirm state support.

2. Climate-Resilient Agricultural Solutions (Debbane – Lebanon)

Field Support & Climate Adaptation: Bassem Mohammed Hassan Al-Amin, Director General of Lebanon’s Debbane Modern Agriculture, highlighted that ongoing climate change necessitates specialized heat- and drought-tolerant seeds and soil fertilizers.

Agronomic Field Consulting: Engineering teams are deployed across Iraqi farmlands to deliver on-site technical guidance to optimize seasonal crop yields.

3. Livestock & Veterinary Pharmaceuticals (Syria)

Aviation & Cattle Sector Growth: Ammar Mohammed Al-Qazwini, Director General of the Arab Company for Veterinary Medicine Industries (Syria), noted Iraq’s expanding poultry operations, commercial dairy farms, and feed manufacturing infrastructure.

Cross-Border Veterinary Expertise: Syrian pharmaceutical manufacturers are providing advanced veterinary medicines and poultry treatments to boost local livestock productivity.

The 17th Agricultural Week serves as a regional conduit for introducing climate-adaptive biotechnology, localized seed breeding, and livestock healthcare into Iraq’s domestic farming ecosystem.

By facilitating cross-border investments and establishing domestic biotechnology laboratories, Iraq seeks to strengthen its national date palm reserves, reduce agricultural import dependency, and enhance long-term food security amid ongoing regional climate challenges.