How climate change is affecting Iraqi beekeepers

STORY: Iraqi beekeepers say climate change

is hitting their business hard

Locator: Najaf, Iraq

Environmental conditions are causing a decline in

output and compromising the quality of their honey

(Ali Mirdan Faleeh, Iraqi beekeeper)

“One of the main problems we have suffered from is climate fluctuations, including global warming which led to a decrease in beekeeping in Iraq, in addition to dust storms that dispersed bees and led to their loss. Also, we suffer from the scarcity of water and lack of nectar sources in honey production. All this led to a decrease in the level of production of bees, the dispersal of bees, and the destruction of most of the beehives... I own an apiary. There were 300 cells, now it is only 100 cells due to the scarcity of water and the lack of nectar sources that we suffered from in Iraq.”

Vendor and apiary owner Bashir Haidar says

the circumstances forced him to stop making honey

with customers choosing cheaper imported

brands over his locally produced stuff

(Bashir Haidar, Vendor and apiary owner)

"I stopped. We are not capable of working because of many reasons. Imported honey has also taken away many apiaries in Iraq - not only mine but a lot of apiaries in Najaf and all provinces."

According to the UN, Iraq is the fifth most

vulnerable country in the world to the climate crisis