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Lack of water challenges Iraq's long-term stability
Abdullah Hasan blames chronic water shortages for ruining his crops and has little faith a new government will be able to revive Iraq's agriculture sector, shattered by war and starved of investment.
The 50-year-old father of five from Falluja in western Anbar province was forced to abandon his 50 acres of land and take a job in construction after years of drought killed off his wheat, barley, tomato, cucumber and watermelon harvests.
He has little hope of returning to farming -- his primary source of income for 35 years -- and plans to sell some of his land as water levels in rivers and reservoirs continue to drop, increasing the concentration of pollutants in the water.
"Day after day, the soil situation is deteriorating because the level of salt is increasing and fertility is decreasing. It's like a cancer hitting the human body," Hasan said.