The water crisis in Iraq has affected the bees that once buzzed in honey-producing Basra.

The Shatt al-Arab riverbank, where Iraq's Tigris River and Euphrates River meet, was once home to a thriving bee population. But drought has decimated the trees, and the life within the apiaries, which dot the riverbank, is in danger.

Beekeepers in Basra are struggling with the production of honey due to the rising salinity levels of the water in Shatt al-Arab, extreme heat, and persistent droughts.

"Bees require clean... water." "The lack of clean water will lead to their death," Mahmoud, 61, professor at Basra University, who owns his own apiary, said.

BASRA WAS KNOWN AS A HONEY-producing region

The banks of Shatt al Arab were once a lush forest where bees would feed, producing honey of high quality that was a source of income for Iraqi apiculturists in southern city.

The bee population is at risk because of decades of conflict, and climate change. Fewer than a quarter (of the 16 million palm trees that once lined the Shatt al-Arab riverbanks) have survived.

Mohammed Mahdi Muzaal Al-Diraoui (assistant director of the Basra agriculture ministry's Basra office) said that there were at least 263 apiaries in the city with more than 4,000 hives. He said that due to the conflict and harsh environmental conditions around 150 apiaries were damaged and at least 2,00 hives had been lost.

"Environmental factors and saltwater have caused significant losses to bees." Al-Diraoui stated that some beekeepers had lost their entire apiaries.

Al-Diraoui stated that honey production is expected to drop by as much as 50% in this area compared to last year.

He said that at its peak, Basra honey production was 30 tons per year. However, this has declined sharply since 2007-2008. It fell to 12 tons over the last five years. This season, production is expected to be just 6 tons.

DECADES OF WAR AND NOW, A WATER CRISIS

Iraq has been a victim of war for decades - the first being the war against Iran in 1980, followed by the Gulf War in early 1990s and the U.S. invasion in 2003, which was then followed by the rise and fall and insurgent violence of the Islamic State. The latest threat to Iraq's ecology is the water shortage.

The oil-rich nation has a pressing concern about water security as the levels of Euphrates River and Tigris River have dropped sharply. This is exacerbated by dams upstream, mainly in Turkey. Shatt al Arab was affected by a flood of seawater into the waterway from the Arabian Gulf, which increased salinity levels to an unprecedented level.

Shaker stated that the riverbanks of Basra, which were once lined with groves full of nectar and flowers have been destroyed by the rising salinity. Bees are also struggling with the extreme heat in summer, when temperatures reach 50 degrees Celsius.

Al-Diraoui stated that the bee population is at risk as the salinity in the water of Shatt Al-Arab increases. Some areas along the southern Basra riverbanks have stopped producing.

Honey production could be completely halted if water crises continue at the current rate in the coming year, particularly if areas of northern Basra are affected by salt water. (Reporting from Mohammed Atti, Basra; Writing by Nayera Abedallah; Editing by Ros Russel)

(source: Reuters)