title: Cropland changes in times of conflict, reconstruction, and economic development in Iraqi Kurdistan.
abstract: The destruction of land and forced migration during the Anfal attacks against the Kurds in Iraq in the late 1980s has been reported to have severe consequences for agricultural development. A reconstruction program to aid people in returning to their lands was launched in 1991. To assess the agricultural situation in the Duhok governorate during the pre-Anfal (A), post-Anfal (B), reconstruction (C), and present (D) periods, we mapped winter crops by focusing on inter-annual variability in vegetation greenness, using satellite images. The results indicate a decrease in cultivated area between period A and B, and a small increase between period B and C. This supports reports of a decline in cultivated area related to the Anfal campaign, and indicates increased activity during the reconstruction program. Period D showed a potential recovery with a cropland area similar to period A.
authors.affiliation: Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University, Finngatan 16, 22361, Lund, Sweden. linaeklund@gmail.com.|Department of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 22362, Lund, Sweden. linaeklund@gmail.com.|GIS Centre, Lund University, Sölvegatan 10, 22362, Lund, Sweden. linaeklund@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eklund
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 22362, Lund, Sweden. andreas.persson@nateko.lu.se.|GIS Centre, Lund University, Sölvegatan 10, 22362, Lund, Sweden. andreas.persson@nateko.lu.se.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.affiliation: Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University, Finngatan 16, 22361, Lund, Sweden. petter.pilesjo@gis.lu.se.|Department of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 22362, Lund, Sweden. petter.pilesjo@gis.lu.se.|GIS Centre, Lund University, Sölvegatan 10, 22362, Lund, Sweden. petter.pilesjo@gis.lu.se.
authors.forename: Petter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pilesjö
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D057217:Economic Development; D007493:Iraq
keywords: Agriculture; Conflict; Crop phenology; Iraqi Kurdistan; NDVI