*”University of Telafer Launches Specialized Scientific Course for Agriculture College Students on Addressing Desertification”*

*”University of Telafer Launches Specialized Scientific Course for Agriculture College Students on Addressing Desertification”*

Within the framework of its strategy aimed at addressing contemporary environmental challenges, the University of Telafer organized a comprehensive awareness course titled “Desertification Phenomenon in Iraq: Causes, Effects, and Combating Strategies,” targeting students of the College of Agriculture and extending over four days from Monday, April 21, to Thursday, April 24, 2025.

The course modules were presented by Dr. Abdul Aziz Alwan Mustafa, Dean of the College of Agriculture; Dr. Sinan Esam Al-Din, Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs; Dr. Ashraf Raad Salem, Head of Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Safety and Security Division; and Dr. Mohammed Mowaffaq Sahri, Head of Rehabilitation, Employment, and Follow-up Division.

The course included an integrated scientific analysis of the desertification phenomenon, starting from the conceptual foundation of the phenomenon according to international standards adopted in the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, then reviewing the multiple causes of desertification in Iraq, from climate changes and water resource management challenges, through unsustainable agricultural practices, to the impacts of urban and industrial expansion.

The course also analytically addressed the multiple repercussions of desertification on environmental, social, and economic levels, and its connection to food security and community stability issues. It concluded by presenting confrontation and adaptation strategies, reviewing successful experiences in afforestation and sustainable natural resource management, and the role of legislation and community initiatives in addressing this phenomenon.

This scientific initiative reflects the University of Telafer’s commitment to its pioneering role in facing environmental challenges and its keenness to prepare a generation of specialists capable of effectively contributing to efforts to protect the Iraqi environment and enhance sustainability in the agricultural sector.