Abstract
Introduction: Strengthening rural women’s participation in sustainable farming is essential for Iraq’s agricultural development, yet their specific educational and training requirements remain insufficiently defined to guide effective programming. Objective: The study assessed the education and training requirements needed to strengthen rural women’s participation in sustainable farming systems in Iraq. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was adopted. Using purposive selection and proportional allocation, 150 respondents were drawn from ministries, research institutions, and development organizations involved in women-in-agriculture and agricultural extension programming. Data were collected via interview-administered structured questionnaires and analyzed using means (x̄), percentages, and rank order. Results: The most critical needs identified were specialized educational programmes (x̄ = 4.54; 90.00%), field schools (x̄ = 4.54; 89.06%), and knowledge-sharing platforms (x̄ = 4.43; 88.66%). Preferred delivery modalities focused on participatory and accessible formats, particularly local learning platforms and follow-up support. Key extension agendas included training in organic farming, waste recycling, soil/water management (x̄ = 4.40; 88.13%), and the integration of sustainability concepts into rural curricula (x̄ = 4.33; 86.66%). Conclusions: Participation of rural women in sustainable agriculture in Iraq is contingent upon the provision of locally accessible, practice-oriented, and continuous extension education tailored to their specific technical needs.
Graphical Abstract