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help each other out. Things changed after the fall of the regime, and there is a sense of urgency to get the program up and running once again.
“Coalition forces handed out items to my villagers,” said Sheik Emad Mohammed Tlall Al-Gurtani. “Where was the government? How come they haven’t helped yet? Our elected leaders need to start helping their own people before we are all out of work.” Farmers are not asking for large projects from the Ministry of Agriculture, just long-term support, said one sheik in attendance. Farmers expressed a desire to the ministry to sustain them in their quest for newer farm equipment, a program to spray insecticides and alleviating the cost of fertilizer. “The price of fertilizer has skyrocketed,” he said. “If we don’t get any help, then a lot of us will be out of business.” The union will happen, said Sebah Khafaji, city council president. Groundbreaking is scheduled very soon for a new union building and a new
water pump to facilitate irrigation in the area. The local government has been feverishly attempting to gain the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture, he continued. He said he felt their presence at the meeting was a positive sign that the farmers of the region had been heard and soon another step towards improving the economy of Iskandariyah and surrounding areas would transpire. This was a good first step in the process, said Howard. Everybody is committed to standing up the agricultural co-ops and seeing the local economy blossom. Soon, it will become reality. |
