In the agricultural district of Al-Mishkhab in Najaf province, farmers are once again flooding fields and sowing rice after severe water shortages forced widespread restrictions on cultivation in recent years.

The turnaround follows heavy rainfall and increased river inflows that have replenished reservoirs and boosted water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates river systems, providing relief to one of the Middle East’s most water-stressed countries.

Farmer Alaa Al-Ibrahimi said he had been unable to cultivate rice last year because of water shortages but has resumed planting this season on approximately 100 dunams of land. Like many growers in the region, he views the improved water situation as an opportunity to restore income and support his family.

The Agriculture Ministry has dramatically expanded approved rice-growing areas this year. According to Deputy Agriculture Minister Mahdi Sahar Al-Jubouri, authorities have authorized cultivation on roughly 362,000 dunams compared with only 200 dunams during the peak of last year’s drought.

Officials attribute the increase to stronger water flows in Iraq’s two main rivers and a substantial improvement in national water reserves.

Water expert Harry Istepanian, founder of the Iraq Climate Change Center, said Iraq’s water storage capacity has risen from approximately 4.5 billion cubic meters in 2025 to around 30 billion cubic meters in 2026, marking one of the most significant annual recoveries in recent years.

The improved conditions are expected to boost domestic rice production to around 300,000 metric tons this season, according to government estimates. Last year’s harvest was negligible after authorities curtailed cultivation because of the water crisis.

Most of the harvest will be purchased by the government for distribution through Iraq’s food ration program, which supplies subsidized staples to millions of households. Despite the increase in local production, Iraq is still expected to import approximately 800,000 metric tons of rice to satisfy domestic demand.

Farmers are also adjusting planting strategies to maximize returns. While the aromatic Anbar variety remains highly valued in Iraqi markets, many producers have shifted toward jasmine rice, which offers higher yields and stronger commercial returns.

The recovery comes amid broader concerns about Iraq’s long-term environmental outlook. The United Nations ranks Iraq among the countries most vulnerable to climate-related risks, with rising temperatures, declining rainfall and increasing pressure on water resources threatening agricultural productivity.

Experts caution that this year’s improvement reflects favorable weather conditions rather than a structural solution to the country’s water challenges.

“The recovery is real, but it is not yet sustainable,” Istepanian said, warning that a single dry season could reverse recent gains.

Iraq’s water security is further complicated by its dependence on cross-border river systems. The country receives a significant share of its water from rivers originating in neighboring Türkiye and Iran, where dam construction and water management policies have long affected downstream flows.

This year’s increase in river volumes was aided by heavy rainfall and snowmelt in upstream countries, which filled reservoirs and resulted in additional releases into shared waterways.

Analysts say sustaining agricultural growth will require continued regional cooperation on water management, investments in irrigation efficiency and reforms aimed at reducing waste in one of the region’s most water-intensive farming sectors.

For farmers across Iraq’s rice-growing heartland, however, the immediate priority remains making the most of a season many feared would never return after years of drought and uncertainty.

Farmers in the country’s haor wetlands, where much of the summer Boro paddy is cultivated, have been rushing to harvest ripe crops amid relentless rain, thunderstorms and strong winds, with many wading through knee-deep water to salvage partially submerged fields.“We’re trying to save whatever is still standing,” said Mohammad Al Amin, a farmer in Sunamganj district, describing the urgency as floodwaters continued to rise.

Authorities said continuous rainfall, combined with water inflows from India’s Meghalaya and Assam regions, had sharply increased the risk of flash floods in vulnerable districts.Large areas of cropland in Sunamganj, Sylhet, Kishoreganj, Habiganj and Moulvibazar have already gone under water, according to local officials.

In several places, embankments were weakened or overtopped by sudden surges, allowing floodwaters to spill into paddy fields.Agriculture officials warned that even brief submergence at the current stage of crop maturity could significantly reduce yields, threatening both farmer incomes and national food security.

Heavy rainfall has also damaged vegetables and other crops, increasing concerns about supply shortages and possible price pressures in local markets.The Bangladesh Meteorological Department forecast further rainfall in the coming days, while disaster management officials warned that additional upstream flows could worsen flooding across the low-lying haor basin.

Farmers are also facing irrigation disruptions linked to diesel shortages following supply chain strains associated with the Iran conflict in the Middle East, adding to production challenges during the harvest season.

In urban areas, heavy rain has caused widespread waterlogging in the capital Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong, flooding roads, slowing traffic and straining already fragile drainage systems.Bangladesh, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, faces frequent river flooding and extreme weather events.

A 2015 World Bank Institute analysis estimated that around 3.5 million people are exposed to annual river floods, with scientists warning that climate change is intensifying such risks.

The country is the world’s third-largest rice producer and consumes most of its output domestically, but often turns to imports when floods or droughts disrupt supply.