The Dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Basra, Professor Dr. Sarmad Ghazi Mohammed Al-Shawi, received the Deputy Governor of Basra, Engineer Hassan Al-Najjar, and the Director of the Basra Agriculture Directorate, Engineer Hadi Hussein, in an expanded meeting to discuss ways to enhance academic and executive cooperation in support of the environmental and agricultural sectors in the governorate.

The meeting included a review of the scientific and practical outcomes of advanced training programs recently attended by representatives of both sides in the People's Republic of China. The delegation from the College of Agriculture focused on desertification control and sand dune stabilization techniques, while the delegation from the Governorate Office and supporting departments learned about the latest modern irrigation systems and methods and water resource management.

The two sides discussed ways to utilize this shared international expertise in preparing proposals for strategic development projects, foremost among them the project to establish a "Green Belt" for the Basra Governorate.

These proposals are to be formally submitted to the Basra Governorate Council and the Governorate Office, and mechanisms for funding them will be explored through social welfare programs or coordination with international donor organizations. This will be done through a high-level steering committee comprising representatives from the Governorate Office, the University, and the directorates of agriculture, environment, water resources, and municipalities.

The attendees also agreed to prepare for a specialized scientific conference, to be organized by the college in cooperation with the local government and relevant departments. The conference aims to present sound scientific and practical solutions to the environmental, climatic, and water scarcity challenges facing the governorate.