Agriculture

19 A g r i c u l t u r e Restoring Date Palms and Open Markets American aid is dredging canals in the ancient Fertile Crescent and improving its farms and orchards. © Getty Images Results where man first learned the art of cul- tivating wheat and other foods. But Ancient Mesopotamia was the place the fertile lands between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, where for 8,000 years crops and livestock were raised, fell on hard times under Ba’ath Party neglect, and Iraq’s farming system deteriorated, pro- ducing some of the lowest crop yields in the world. Working with Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), the United States is addressing the underlying causes of declining production. Focusing on improving production of grains, vegetables, fruits, livestock, dairy, and poul- try, the program also emphasizes rural finan- cial service, water management and soil recla- mation. Beyond a series of quick-impact projects, the U.S. goal is a productive, em- ployment-generating, market-oriented agricul- tural system over the next three to five years. Agriculture is the second largest employer in Iraq. If the farms and pastures and date or- chards of Iraq can be made to prosper once more, it will keep thousands of young people from migrating to the cities in search of jobs. It is often in the slums of such cities that youths are recruited into crime or radical ide- ologies out of frustration at their inability to find rewarding employment and training. One program is supplying offshoots like these to 13 Iraqi governates. © Getty Images Date Palm Rehabilitation Iraq once had the largest date palm tree orchards in the world, with over 30 million trees. But the Iraq-Iran War and the catastrophic destruction of the southern marshes cut that number in half, leaving many Iraqis without homes or income. Now, the Ministry of Agriculture has made date palm re- habilitation a priority. Under an agreement signed February 7, 2004, USAID’s Agricultural Re- construction Development Program for Iraq will purchase 40,000 date palms for orchards and offshoot nurseries in 13 governorates, while the Ministry will provide land, personnel, logistics, and maintenance for the or- chards. The agreement is particularly significant because there are 621 va- rieties of date palms in Iraq, but no existing orchards where certified date palm varieties can be purchased. Initially, therefore, the mother orchards will serve as a national register of varieties, and, future offshoots will be available for planting. ● Winter Crop Technolo- gy Demonstrations: On 334 hectares in 15 gover- norates, 128 farm families are establishing plots with new crop varieties. ● Kirkuk Veterinary Hos- pital Renovation: A grant of $96,000 is renovating this veterinary hospital. ● Taza and Rashad Vet- erinary Clinic Rehabilita- tion: A $50,000 USAID grant will be matched by supplies and equipment from the Ministry of Agri- culture. These rural veteri- nary clinics are the two principal sources of vac- cines and medicines for ani- mals in 125 communities. ● Internet Connectivity and Repairs to a Student Union Building: The Baghdad University School of Agriculture will receive a $75,000 grant. ● Seven grants totaling $394,000 were approved in February 2004 to help re- build veterinary programs in North and Central Iraq. ● The Ministry of Agri- culture is establishing 18 date palm nurseries in an effort to re-establish Iraq’s dominant position in the international date mar- ket. Iraq once had more date palm orchards than any other country. Under an argeement with the Min- istry of Agriculture, the U.S. is helping restore the industry. American agricultural assis- tance is bringing new tech- nology to Iraq’s neglected agricultural sector, including here at Ninawa.