Phase II, planned for 2011, will identify both aquifers down to 3, 000 meters below the surface, study soil composition and aquifer replenishment, and prioritize areas for agricultural development.

UNESCO: launches initiative to identify groundwater and alleviate water shortages in Iraq | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Food safety is a particular concern, as some of the contaminants from years of industrial development make their way into the country's food from the soil in which it is grown.

WSJ: Cadmium-Tainted Rice Found in Guangzhou