Empowering Women Leaders in Iraq: FAO and SIDA Advance Climate Resilience through CWW Intensive Training in Erbil

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), has concluded a six-day Intensive Training of Trainers (TOT) session in Erbil, marking a pivotal advancement in the Climate Wise Women (CWW) initiative. This comprehensive program is aimed at empowering rural Iraqi women as leaders of climate action and resilience in their communities.

Building on Momentum from Basra

The Erbil training builds upon the success of the CWW Module 1 sessions previously conducted in Basra. That foundational training laid the groundwork for a robust network of local women facilitators dedicated to tackling climate vulnerabilities at the grassroots level. The latest TOT in Erbil escalates this momentum, preparing a cohort of Master Trainers—resilient women leaders from the provinces of Najaf, Muthanna, and Baghdad—to spearhead the initiative’s implementation phase.

These Master Trainers represent a new wave of leadership equipped to initiate, demonstrate, and lead community-based climate solutions tailored to the agricultural and ecological realities of southern Iraq.

Advanced Training for Ground-Level Impact

Delivered under the umbrella of the project “Enhance Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agriculture Households in Southern Iraq,” the TOT combined Modules 2 and 3 of the CWW curriculum into an intensive and practical cycle. FAO climate and agricultural specialists guided the women through advanced scientific concepts in climate-resilient irrigation techniques, sustainable soil-water-crop interactions, agrometeorological advisory systems, and resilient food systems technologies.

The curriculum was crafted to be both scientifically robust and accessible—allowing the women to translate theoretical insights into practical, context-specific actions. The training also incorporated leadership development sessions, helping participants to strengthen their ability to support, mentor, and mobilize rural women farmers across their communities.

Strategic Support from Government and FAO

The training opened with strong support from key agricultural leaders in Iraq. Dr. Hadi Al-Yasiri, Director General of the Horticulture Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, and Dr. Mohammed Mankhi, Director General of the Agricultural Mechanization Department, attended the inaugural session. Both officials commended the initiative for strategically investing in rural women as key drivers of climate resilience.

Salah Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq, emphasized the broader impact of this approach:

“This training demonstrates that women are at the heart of agricultural transformation in Iraq. By equipping them with the tools and leadership skills to adapt to climate change, we are laying the foundation for resilient communities and sustainable food systems.”

Strengthening Community Networks

The Erbil training is a continuation of FAO’s effort to institutionalize climate-smart practices among women-led agricultural groups. Prior to this, FAO had trained 50 local women facilitators from Najaf and Muthanna, who have since organized community-based women farmer groups. These groups are now aligned with the Master Trainers to support the roll-out of locally relevant climate-smart agriculture practices.

From Theory to Practice: Field Implementation Begins

With the training phase now successfully concluded, the Climate Wise Women initiative is transitioning into its field implementation stage. Local women facilitators, in collaboration with Master Trainers, will lead cascaded training sessions and organize on-ground demonstrations using climate adaptation field toolkits distributed by FAO.

These activities will focus on:

• Sustainable water resource management

• Efficient irrigation practices

• Resilient cropping strategies

• Peer-led knowledge sharing platforms

In addition, the women farmer groups are being encouraged to form knowledge exchange collectives and engage the broader community through awareness-building activities. These peer-driven models are expected to enhance participation, encourage experiential learning, and deepen the local impact of climate-resilient practices.

A Model for Sustainable, Inclusive Adaptation

The CWW initiative in Iraq exemplifies a transformative model where local leadership is fused with scientific knowledge to catalyze systemic change. Through three successive TOT cycles, FAO has established a growing network of competent and confident women leaders ready to champion climate action across vulnerable communities in southern Iraq.

By investing in women as both beneficiaries and leaders of climate resilience, FAO and SIDA are demonstrating a powerful, inclusive approach to development—one that recognizes women as agents of sustainability, innovation, and change.

Looking Ahead

As the initiative moves forward, the success of the Erbil TOT serves as a beacon for what’s possible when international cooperation, national commitment, and grassroots leadership intersect. The real work now begins in the fields of Iraq, where women—equipped with knowledge, confidence, and tools—will lead the charge in transforming climate vulnerability into resilience and opportunity.