In collaboration with the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, FAO aimed at creating jobs in the rural areas in the middle and south of Iraq and support food security through the development of modern plantations programs for the cultivation of date palm, including tissue culture techniques in the laboratory of appropriate management system for integrated pest control. Achievements were as follow:

• Establishment of date palm tissue culture laboratory;

• Establishment of modern date palm groves;

• Identification and development of integrated pest control management programs;

• Training and skill improvement of 38 technical persons on the date palm integrated pest management;

• Storage facilities and packing systems were improved.