The Department of Field Crops at the College of Agriculture, University of Kirkuk, organized a scientific seminar on the challenges of cotton cultivation in Kirkuk Governorate and ways to address them, with the participation of academics, representatives of agricultural institutions, as well as staff and students of the college.
The seminar aimed to analyze the current state of cotton cultivation, identify the main challenges hindering its expansion, and explore effective solutions to overcome technical and environmental constraints affecting crop productivity. It also focused on improving post-harvest processing efficiency to ensure high-quality cotton fibers, promoting the use of modern technologies in integrated crop management to achieve maximum economic returns, and enhancing the role of scientific research in developing varieties resistant to varying environmental conditions.
The seminar included two lectures: the first by Dr. Ashraf Hashem Ali on the importance of cotton and its cultivation practices, and the second by Dr. Hussein Abdullah Ahmed on cotton cultivation—its current reality, challenges, and proposed solutions.
The seminar recommended that revitalizing cotton cultivation in Iraq requires integrated coordination between government institutions, the private sector, and farmers. It also emphasized the need to strengthen research and development programs, improve local varieties and develop high-yield, stress-tolerant ones, adopt modern agricultural mechanization in planting and harvesting processes, and facilitate marketing and procurement procedures through designated outlets such as cotton gins and textile factories. Additionally, it highlighted the importance of revitalizing industries related to cotton, including textile manufacturing and vegetable oil production.
