Trends and Challenges of Sustainable Agriculture in the Iraqi Environment

The use of Agriculture Intelligent Systems (AISs) in Iraq has become popular among farmers. The greenhouse is a solution for plant growth, which uses an effective microclimate to simulate seasons and to use alternative energy sources like solar, thermal, and photovoltaic systems for microclimate control. Greenhouses are considered a successful solution with developments and achievements in the technology of this field. However, problems like high costs, difficulties in installation and maintenance, or the need for some procedures should be considered. Because Iraq is close to the equator (3669 km), it receives sufficient solar power. It also has large areas available for the building of solar greenhouse systems. The farmers need an affordable and functional smart greenhouse to enable and encourage them to use the environment efficiently. We intend to develop low-cost, accurate, and easy-to-use greenhouse systems controlled by artificial intelligence algorithms. Farmers will be able to control the greenhouse by using simple commands. Machine learning algorithms provide real-time and effective analysis that could support farmers in decision-making and provide relevant data for researchers and policymakers. AISs algorithms can lead to a sustainable and productive agriculture system. The system can be used in Iraq with sufficient government support and subsidy.