Iraq’s Buffalo Crisis: Drought and Migration Threaten Ancient Livelihoods

Iraq's buffalo population has dramatically decreased due to severe droughts affecting the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, endangering the livelihoods of many farmers. Factors such as climate change, upstream damming, and outdated irrigation are driving migration to cities, with buffalo numbers dropping by more than half in a decade.

In Iraq, the once-thriving buffalo population is in crisis, having been cut by more than half over the past decade. This decline is largely attributed to severe droughts impacting the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which have placed the livelihoods of farmers like Sabah Ismail in jeopardy. Once boasting between 120 and 130 buffalo, Ismail is now left with only 50 to 60.

A multitude of factors contribute to this crisis, including climate change, upstream damming in Turkey and Iran, outdated domestic irrigation practices, and a lack of effective long-term water management strategies. Despite the region's rich agricultural history, economic and environmental pressures are pushing farmers towards urban areas in search of better opportunities.

The situation is exacerbated by a drastic drop in available green pastures, pollution, and rising fodder prices, causing many breeders to abandon buffalo farming altogether. According to experts, the buffalo population in Iraq has plummeted from 150,000 in 2015 to under 65,000 today, with the harsh summer ahead likely to worsen conditions further.

(With inputs from agencies.)