"There is a planned and regular system for the distribution of water from the Tigris river for drinking and other uses ... This year, fresh water supplies were limited. The rice growing season, which began on May 15 in some very limited areas in the provinces of Najaf and Al Diwaniyah, ended, and the decision was made to ban the growing of spring crops, that is, of rice and corn, this year with the hope that we will be able to use new irrigation techniques next season," the minister said in an interview with Iraqi newspaper Al Sabaah.
The water crisis in Iraq can be attributed to a number of factors, including climate conditions, the lack of rainfall, temperature increases as well as excessive consumption of water in upstream countries where there has been significant population growth and water is massively used for irrigation projects, the Iraqi Ministry for Water Resources said.
Iraq has been suffering from lack of fresh water over recent years. Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Al-Sahhaf said in July that Iraq demanded from Turkey and Iran the realization of its lawful right to a share of water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and intended to solve the issue through negotiations.