09/08/05 ROME (Reuters): The war in Iraq destroyed the country's seedindustry, putting the country's domestic food supply at risk, the UnitedNations food agency said on Monday as it appealed for aid to rebuildfarming. The Food and Agriculture Organisation said it needed $5.4 millionto help the agriculture ministry rebuild a seed industry destroyed by thefighting and looting.

"Iraq had a relatively stable and functioning public-sector-controlledseed industry before the war in 2003. After the war, research and seedproduction facilities have greatly deteriorated," FAO said in a statement.

Iraq can now cover only 4 percent of its demand for quality seeds from itsown resources.

"Iraq has currently no system in place that provides certifiedhigh-quality seeds of improved varieties. As a result, crop productivityremains very low because farmers are using their own, mostly low-quality,seed," FAO Iraq project manager Tekeste Tekie said. "If no immediateaction is taken, serious seed shortages can be expected in the nearfuture, threatening the country's food security."

The FAO project aims to replace buildings and equipment such as tractorsand to develop a national seed policy and new seed laws.