Posted on 01/31/2009 9:10:00 AM PST by SandRat
BAGHDAD — In the public eye, it’s probably easy to associate the word ‘oil’ to Iraq’s economy. But that wouldn’t depict the complete image.
“I’ve heard it said that Iraq is best understood as an agricultural country that has some oil, rather than an oil country that has agriculture.”
Those were the words of Ed Price, an agricultural expert with Team Borlaug, which visited Iraq for six months in late 2008 to help improve farming across eight southern provinces here.
“There’s a tremendous industry associated with (agriculture),” Price said. “So, all in all, it accounts for a big part of the non-petroleum economy in Iraq.”
In fact, it is estimated that agriculture employs 75 percent of the Iraqi population. Numerous commodities have been farmed in the provinces south of Baghdad, including dates, rice, wheat, corn, vegetables, chicken, fish, cattle, sheep, goats and water buffalo.
Since Borlaug left in December, the Iraqi people have been busy implementing some of the project ideas the team left behind.
In Karbala, farmers have been working on greenhouse extensions to formulate the best practices for growing tomatoes. There have also been new husbandry practices started across provinces, showing farmers how to increase the bulk of their livestock by using concentrated nutrition. Other projects have reached out to women in agriculture.
“What’s nice about these projects is that they’re training projects, so the idea behind (them) is to show the right way to do things … and that is going to allow the people that are in those villages to have the most long-term economic gain,” said Capt. Tom Edwards, Multi-National Division – Center agricultural advisor.
“We’re not just showing them what works for today, but we’re showing them what’s going to make them money for years and years to come,” Edwards added.
Edwards, who has been in country three months, travels all over the Iraqi landscape. He oversees projects going forward. He partners Provincial Reconstruction Teams with Iraqi government officials and Coalition leaders to make agriculture even more productive as an economic staple.
“Agriculture is growing, producing jobs and adding to the security in MND-C,” said Edwards.
He mentioned the collaboration between PRT agriculture advisors, Civil Affairs and Coalition forces is producing success.
“And last, but certainly not least, the reason agriculture is successful in our provinces is because of the hard work and dedication of the Iraqis that our teams partner with,” Edwards said.
Economically, these projects don’t help just farmers. Agriculture touches upon most areas that affect people’s lives. From small market or store owners, to the veterinarian communities and the medical fields.
An upcoming project that could really jump-start the economic impact of agriculture is the Central Euphrates Farmers Market, a multi-million dollar marketplace that will combine farmers with retailers and other business owners.
“I suspect that once it is open that it will be a demonstration for other areas,” Edwards said. “It’s an expensive project, but if they can show success there … they can show that it is an economically viable option (for) other private investors who will be willing to invest in other areas.”
The biggest challenge for Iraq is water. There simply isn’t enough of if it in some areas. Some canals are generally in poor condition and in need of continued repair. For a while, farmers used flood irrigation to water their crops, which proved extremely wasteful. Now, Iraqis are implementing some ideas brought in by Team Borlaug to use water more efficiently. Other obstacles involved lack of quality feed and other nutrition for livestock.
“Iraqis in this area have been plagued with problems in the agricultural arena. For the thirty years prior to 2003, Iraq has been denied technologic advances enjoyed by the rest of the world. This is a result of the practices of the Saddam Hussein government as well as an unexpected result of the oil for food program,” Edwards said.
Many of these challenges are being tackled now thanks to the planning and collaboration with the Coalition. The focus is on bringing as much education and knowledge into the farming communities. It’s up to the Iraqi people to put in the hard work after that.
“(They) have really embraced the Borlaug recommendations,” Edwards said of the farmers. “They’re in the progress. They’re in the planning stages … It’s going to feed Iraq for years and years to come.”
Also, because of the success Team Borlaug achieved in Iraq in 2008, representatives from MND-C are considering bringing a second team experienced in agriculture back to Iraq later this year.
The book by Jared Diamond---Guns , Germs, and Steel is a good read,...since intensive agriculture first started near the Iraq area.
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