Baghdad, Iraq – Supported by the Government of Japan, UNDP Iraq is implementing a new project for "Improving food availability for communities vulnerable to food insecurity in Diyala Governorate of Iraq.” This project is aimed at supporting small-scale farmers and micro/home-based food businesses vulnerable to food insecurity in Diyala to maintain and improve their production and reduce food losses and waste.

Through this new project, small-scale farmers in Diyala Governorate will receive training and in-kind/cash grants to enhance their production capacities and adapt to climate induced shocks – drought - in the plant and animal sub-sectors. Building upon UNDP’s work to ensure gender equality and increase livelihood opportunities for women, female trainers will be engaged through the project to conduct female-only information sessions. The project will also focus on micro/home-based food businesses working across the food value chain in targeted areas of the governorate to diversify their production, improve food safety, and reduce food waste through training, mentoring, and cash grants.

To ensure an inclusive and informed participation process, UNDP will conduct a detailed vulnerability assessment to select beneficiaries in collaboration with the Government of Iraq and local authorities. 

Auke Lootsma, UNDP Iraq Resident Representative, states, "We are grateful to the Government of Japan, our steadfast partner in development, for their contribution to such an important project to benefit the people of Diyala. Working closely with the government and local authorities, this project will ensure that local, climate smart and resilient solutions are provided to sustain community needs related to food security. Our goal is to prepare community members to adapt and be able to respond to future shocks and stresses beyond to ensure long-term impact and improved resiliency.” 

“I commend UNDP for its attentive and detailed response to the needs of people of Diyala, which is increasingly complex and multi-dimensional”, said Mr. MASAMOTO Kenichi, Charge d' Affaires ad interim, the Embassy of Japan in Iraq. “I respect UNDP’s continuous and tireless endeavor to mitigate sufferings of those most vulnerable people. I hope that this project will alleviate the hardships of those people in Diyala, who also have been most affected by current food security in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine.”

This project is part of UNDP’s Iraq Crisis Response and Resilience Programme, which works to provide locally tailored interventions that combine short, medium and long-term solutions for post-conflict recovery and development, emphasizing resilience and building back better.

Media contact:

Mohammed Al-Bahbahanee, Communications Specialist | mohammed.al bahbahanee@undp.org | +964 7704 399 222