Issue paper
Are Iraqi displaced farmers returning to agriculture?
In an effort to assist the Iraqi Government in addressing the challenges currently faced by the displaced farming population in their return to farming, the International Organization on Migration (IOM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have agreed to collaborate on a joint study to identify the needs of the displaced population and strategies for restarting agricultural production in conflict-affected rural areas.
The study aims to 1) identify the role that agriculture plays as a source of livelihood for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees; 2) understand the drivers, constraints and challenges confronted by displaced and returnee households regarding return to areas of origin and resumption of farming; and 3) investigate how best to rehabilitate the agricultural sector to create opportunities for resilient and robust agricultural livelihoods for returnees and prospective returnees.