An Innovative System Study for Sustainable Agriculture in the Salinized Lands in Central and Southern Iraq without Reclamation or Drainage Processes. (An investment project in food security)

Abstract

Agricultural production in central and southern Iraq faces a serious challenge due to soil salinity, which arises from a combination of environmental and hydrological factors. A major cause is the rise of saline groundwater to shallow depths, restricting proper root development of crops. Conventional reclamation through large-scale drainage projects is constrained by diverse terrain, extremely high costs, and the shortage of fresh water required for extensive leaching operations. To address these limitations, this study introduces an alternative farming system designed for long-term sustainability. The approach involves cultivating plants in sealed containers with a lifespan of no less than ten years, ensuring root growth beyond the direct influence of salinity. Shallow groundwater (0.5–1.5 m depth) is utilized after being desalinated through an evaporation–condensation cycle powered by flared gas from oil refineries, thereby converting a wasted by-product into a useful source of irrigation water. The research included soil sampling from several locations, estimation of water volumes required for leaching, evaluation of salinity levels before and after treatment, and determination of field capacity across soil types. Findings indicate that this system effectively mitigates the primary obstacles of saline land management, namely the scarcity of fresh water, high reclamation costs, and the proximity of saline groundwater to the surface. Moreover, continuous withdrawal of groundwater throughout the system’s operational period is expected to gradually lower its level, removing it from the active root zone and enhancing soil productivity on a sustainable basis.