First Agricultural Gene Bank Inaugurated in Sulaymaniyah in Presence of Qubad Talabani

PUKMEDIA

Sulaymaniyah’s first agricultural gene bank was inaugurated on Sunday.

In the presence of Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, Sulaymaniyah’s first agricultural gene bank on Sunday, while the Minister of the Agriculture described the project as an important initiative with potential benefits for agriculture, research and employment.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Kurdistan Region Minister of Agriculture Begard Talabani said the opening of the agricultural gene bank in Sulaymaniyah would create thousands of indirect job opportunities and expressed hope that larger and more advanced projects would be launched in the province in the future.

She said the agricultural gene bank would play an important role across various sectors and provide farmers with a range of high-quality seeds, noting that the facility would work closely with scientific centres to help address environmental challenges and support agricultural development in the Kurdistan Region.

Sulaymaniyah Governor Haval Abubakir said the province is home to around 600 plant species that are unique to Sulaymaniyah and cannot be found elsewhere in the world, making it an ideal location for establishing the plant gene bank.

Abubakir added that, under an EU programme, Sulaymaniyah is expected to become Iraq’s “food basket” between 2027 and 2035 and enter a new trade route.

Deputy PM Qubad Talabani laid the foundation stone for the agricultural gene bank on 7 July 2025. 

Funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the European Union, the strategic project has been established on an area of 100 dunams.

The gene bank will serve as a leading scientific centre dedicated to collecting, preserving, and studying the seeds and plant diversity of Iraq. Its mission is to maintain the authenticity of native plant species, support their development, advance scientific research, and foster collaboration between academic institutions, research bodies, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources.

The Kurdistan Region was chosen for this project because it hosts approximately 75% of Iraq’s plant diversity, including about 150 species of native Kurdish plants. These species will be collected, preserved, and protected in the gene bank to safeguard their unique genetic identity and promote their development for future generations.

The centre is also expected to create employment opportunities for specialists in relevant scientific and agricultural fields.



PUKMEDIA