ERBIL, IRAQ (Enmaeya News) — The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has concluded a six-day Training of Trainers (TOT) program in Erbil, empowering rural women leaders from southern Iraq to spearhead climate adaptation efforts in their communities.

The training is part of the ongoing project “Enhance Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agriculture Households in Southern Iraq,” funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). It builds upon the success of the earlier Climate Wise Women (CWW) Module 1 session held in Basra, and merges Modules 2 and 3 into a practical, locally tailored curriculum.

Led by FAO specialists, the training introduced participants, women leaders from Najaf, Muthanna, and Baghdad to key areas such as climate-resilient irrigation, sustainable soil-water-crop management, agrometeorological tools, and resilient food systems technologies. The aim is to equip these Master Trainers with both scientific tools and leadership skills to support other rural women farmers on the frontlines of climate change.

“Women are at the heart of agricultural transformation in Iraq,” said Salah Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq. “By equipping them with leadership and adaptation tools, we are laying the foundation for resilient communities and sustainable food systems.”

The event was attended by senior officials from Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture, who praised the initiative as a strategic investment in Iraq’s agricultural future and a model for strengthening climate resilience at the community level.

This latest TOT cycle follows the earlier training of 50 women facilitators from Najaf and Muthanna, who have now formed local women farmer groups. These groups will now enter the field implementation stage, using FAO-provided toolkits to conduct training, peer learning exchanges, and awareness campaigns focused on climate-smart agriculture and sustainable water use.

As the initiative moves forward, FAO reaffirms its commitment to empowering rural women as agents of change. The Climate Wise Women program is also advancing multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), by connecting climate action, gender equality, and food security in fragile rural areas.