EU-Funded Agri-food business development programme highlights progress and pathways to private sector investment in Iraq

Partners of the European Union-funded Agri-food Business Development Programme (AfBDP) convened in Baghdad at a high-level event organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to highlight progress across Iraq's agri-food value chains and strengthening dialogue on unlocking private sector investment in the agricultural sector.

Opening the event, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Iraq, Ghulam Isaczai, underscored the importance of coordinated partnerships in advancing Iraq's agri-food sector:

"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."

The AfBDP was launched in 2021 to support the transformation of Iraq's agri-food sector through a coordinated Farm-to-Fork approach, strengthening agri-food systems from production to market. This initiative brings together seven international partners: FAO, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Cowater International. Together, these partners work with national institutions to enhance sustainable livelihoods, facilitate market development, and strengthen value chains in key agricultural sectors.

High level participants included representatives from the European Union Delegation to Iraq, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Planning, the Ministry of Water Resources, partner agencies, and private sector actors.

"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, Ambassador of the European Union to Iraq. "By strengthening value chains from farm to market, the programme has created jobs, reduced losses, and improved opportunities for local producers. Importantly, it has also laid the groundwork for a more competitive and investable agri-food sector, capable of attracting further private investment and sustaining growth beyond this programme."

The event featured a combination of presentations and visual materials where partners reviewed the project results and shared insights on scaling investment to benefit farmers, processors, traders, and agribusinesses.

The mini-market showcasing products and the photo exhibition were among the highlights of the event, as they reflected the tangible impact of the jointly supported value chains. The mini-market featured a diverse range of value-added products supported by the programme, demonstrating improved production practices, strengthened linkages between producers and markets, and new opportunities for private sector engagement.

"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. "With the support of the European Union and the collaboration of partner agencies, the programme has helped strengthen value chains, connect farmers to markets, and create new opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and private sector engagement."

"As the organizing partner of this event, FAO is proud to support a collective approach that brings together national institutions and international partners to demonstrate how AfBDP interventions have contributed to creating pathways for private sector engagement, acknowledges the strong partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the continued support of the European Union, which have been instrumental to the programme's implementation." said FAO Representative in Iraq, Salah El Hajj Hassan. "Through the AfBDP, partners have strengthened agri-food value chains and helped lay the foundations for future investment and more market-oriented agriculture sector development in Iraq."

The high-level panel discussion explored opportunities and constraints related to attracting private sector investment, strengthening the enabling policy environment, and fostering entrepreneurship across Iraq's agri-food sector.

An awards and recognition segment acknowledged key contributions to the major value chain developed under the programme, reinforcing partners' shared commitment to resilient, inclusive, and market-oriented agri-food systems in Iraq.