By Shalaw yasin
The Garmian region, due to its astronomical and geographical location, is an area extremely rich in natural resources, particularly in its geological structure, with varying elevations and extensive fertile plains. It is abundant in surface and groundwater sources as well as diverse natural vegetation. All these resources could be managed in a modern and scientific manner for the purpose of developing and advancing the various sectors of the agricultural economy.
The soil of the Garmian region predominantly consists of loamy soil, which is a mixture of clay and sand in varying proportions. This type of soil is fertile and possesses excellent capacity for retaining nutrients and water—a crucial characteristic for agriculture. The soil’s nature is slightly alkaline (high pH) and rich in calcium, making it highly suitable for growing cereals such as wheat and barley. Additionally, it has good heat retention capabilities, making it ideal for producing tropical fruits like pomegranates and figs. However, due to the region’s low humidity and rainfall, it requires consistent and efficient irrigation systems to achieve successful agricultural production.
The area of the Garmian region is (311.7272) square kilometers, which constitutes approximately (37%) of the Kurdistan Region’s area and about (7%) of Iraq’s total area. This gives it significant economic importance, particularly due to its diverse soil types, agricultural and mineral products, and natural vegetation. so because the land of Garmian is quite flat and has vast plain areas, it can be suitable and convenient for agriculture, allowing for the cultivation of a large proportion of crops and grains.
Yes, the Garmian region in Kurdistan is suitable for agriculture, particularly for certain specific types of crops.above all, the Garmian region is known for its warm climate and fertile soil. These characteristics make it suitable for growing several types of crops, such as:
– Grains: wheat and barley
– Fruits: pomegranate, fig, olive
– Vegetables: eggplant, pepper, tomato, and several other varieties
– Legumes (corns)
However, the Garmian region also faces some challenges, such as limited rainfall and irrigation issues in some areas, as well as high temperatures in summer which negatively affect certain types of crops.
Despite these problems, the Garmian land generally has good potential for successful agriculture, especially if new irrigation and agricultural techniques are implemented.
On the other hand, constructing dams in the Garmian region can significantly increase agricultural production in several ways: providing consistent irrigation, expanding agricultural land area, diversifying crops, increasing yield per donum, and reducing drought damage. In short, dams can have an important positive impact on agriculture in the Garmian region, but careful planning is required. Finally, I can say that the Garmian region is suitable and important for agriculture.
Despite all these challenges, agriculture can be one of the fields that quickly adapts to new technologies. Such as: drones, sensors, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology…etc. Therefore, all these create many opportunities for innovation to solve today’s agricultural problems. Finally, if we use smart technology to develop agriculture, the success rate in production will reach a good level.