EU-backed Agri-Food Programme highlights investment opportunities in Iraq

IRAQ – The European Union-funded Agri-food Business Development Programme (AfBDP) recently convened partners in Baghdad at an event organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to highlight results and opportunities for the sector.

Opening the event, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Iraq, Ghulam Isaczai, underlined the importance of coordinated support. “This programme demonstrates the value of partnership – bringing national and international actors together to create jobs, strengthen food security, and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.

Since its launch in 2021, the AfBDP has worked to improve Iraq’s agri-food sector from production to market. The initiative brings together FAO, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), UNESCO, and Cowater International. These partners collaborate with national institutions to improve market linkages, strengthen value chains, and support sustainable livelihoods.

“The European Union supported the Agri-food Business Development Programme to help Iraqi farmers and agri-food businesses overcome real constraints – from climate and water pressures to weak market linkages,” said Klemens Semtner, EU Ambassador to Iraq.

“By strengthening value chains from farm to market, the programme has created jobs, reduced losses, and improved opportunities for local producers. It has also laid the groundwork for a more competitive and investable agri-food sector.”

Demonstrating tangible impact

The event included presentations, a photo exhibition, and a mini-market showcasing programme-supported products. Visitors saw a variety of value-added goods that reflect improved production methods, stronger market connections, and emerging investment opportunities for private companies.

“Partnerships such as the Agri-food Business Development Programme demonstrate the value of coordinated support in advancing Iraq’s agricultural transformation,” said Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mithaq Al Khafaji. “The programme has connected farmers to markets, strengthened value chains, and created new opportunities for private sector engagement.”

FAO Representative in Iraq, Salah El Hajj Hassan, added, “Through the AfBDP, partners have laid the foundations for future investment and market-oriented development in Iraq’s agriculture sector.”

The programme comes as Iraq seeks to attract more private investment, support entrepreneurs, and strengthen policies that facilitate growth in agri-business. High-level discussions at the event explored the opportunities and challenges that investors and local actors face in the country’s agri-food sector.

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