Tatweer’s Lower Rashidiya Agricultural Project Finding Joint Solutions for Delivering Water to Iraq’s Farmers
16 Aug 2008
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In an agricultural community north of Baghdad, a joint effort is underway to tackle one of Iraq’s biggest challenges. Even with drought slowly crippling Iraq’s agriculture, Tatweer’s Lower Rashidiya Agricultural Project is finding solutions for delivering water to farmers to start up small agri-businesses that would provide fresh produce to the growing Baghdad market.
Hayder Mosen, a young accounting graduate and president of the newly formed Agricultural Development Organization in Lower Rashidiya, is trying to help his community overcome economic and agricultural decline in the once fertile farmlands. Hayder spoke about his concerns with the USAID-funded Tatweer team. The canals had been neglected since the 1980s, stilting the flow of water and deteriorating the quality of farmlands. “I believe that our government is committed to taking an active role in implementing systems of change to benefit Iraqis,” Hayder said.
Tatweer, an integral part of USAID’s national capacity development (NCD) strategy in Iraq, is taking the lead role as facilitator with the provision of technical support to the Ministries of Agriculture (MoA) and Water Resources (MoWR) to provide assistance in the creation of a pilot inventory irrigation assessment. Tatweer trained 40 civil servants from both ministries and assisted in the creation of rural assessment forms to determine defined land and water use corresponding to farmers’ needs.
There are thousands of hectares of long-neglected agriculture systems that need to be rehabilitated in order for thousands of farmers to create agri-businesses and build sustainable livelihoods. This pilot project will lead the way towards rehabilitation and maintenance of the neglected irrigation and drainage canals. The inter-ministerial teams, along with USAID, believe the pilot will demonstrate how an improved Geographic Information System (GIS)-based strategic inventory of irrigation resources combined with a focus on economic results can be replicated to help restore large areas of Iraq’s formerly productive farmlands.
One young civil servant with the MoWR, Farah, expressed enthusiasm at her first opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge. “I was always frightened to go to the field, even though this is what I was trained to do… this means so much to me to have an opportunity to apply my profession to improving my country.” Farah will be one of the 40 civil servants tackling a coverage area of 14,000 dunums and 500 farms in the rapid rural assessment. Information gathered during this process will be utilized to identify alternative crop selection and irrigation methodologies that will ensure the most yield per hectare.
Under the active leadership of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Director General of Engineering and Construction for the Ministry of Water, a team was in the field July-August 2008 rapidly gathering data needed to complete the feasibility study. The field staff of the MoA and MoWR are working together with Tatweer, the USAID Inma Agri-business project and the Provincial Reconstruction Teams, which connect Tatweer to the local councils and provide necessary security and logistical support during this immediate post-conflict period.
Through this project, the MoA and MoWR are taking the first step toward effectively engaging its people and farmers to create successful solutions to build upon in Iraq’s farmlands. The engagement of ministries with communities will empower Iraq’s citizens and inspire confidence for future partnerships.
Hayder Mosen, a young accounting graduate and president of the newly formed Agricultural Development Organization in Lower Rashidiya, is trying to help his community overcome economic and agricultural decline in the once fertile farmlands. Hayder spoke about his concerns with the USAID-funded Tatweer team. The canals had been neglected since the 1980s, stilting the flow of water and deteriorating the quality of farmlands. “I believe that our government is committed to taking an active role in implementing systems of change to benefit Iraqis,” Hayder said.
Tatweer, an integral part of USAID’s national capacity development (NCD) strategy in Iraq, is taking the lead role as facilitator with the provision of technical support to the Ministries of Agriculture (MoA) and Water Resources (MoWR) to provide assistance in the creation of a pilot inventory irrigation assessment. Tatweer trained 40 civil servants from both ministries and assisted in the creation of rural assessment forms to determine defined land and water use corresponding to farmers’ needs.
There are thousands of hectares of long-neglected agriculture systems that need to be rehabilitated in order for thousands of farmers to create agri-businesses and build sustainable livelihoods. This pilot project will lead the way towards rehabilitation and maintenance of the neglected irrigation and drainage canals. The inter-ministerial teams, along with USAID, believe the pilot will demonstrate how an improved Geographic Information System (GIS)-based strategic inventory of irrigation resources combined with a focus on economic results can be replicated to help restore large areas of Iraq’s formerly productive farmlands.
One young civil servant with the MoWR, Farah, expressed enthusiasm at her first opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge. “I was always frightened to go to the field, even though this is what I was trained to do… this means so much to me to have an opportunity to apply my profession to improving my country.” Farah will be one of the 40 civil servants tackling a coverage area of 14,000 dunums and 500 farms in the rapid rural assessment. Information gathered during this process will be utilized to identify alternative crop selection and irrigation methodologies that will ensure the most yield per hectare.
Under the active leadership of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Director General of Engineering and Construction for the Ministry of Water, a team was in the field July-August 2008 rapidly gathering data needed to complete the feasibility study. The field staff of the MoA and MoWR are working together with Tatweer, the USAID Inma Agri-business project and the Provincial Reconstruction Teams, which connect Tatweer to the local councils and provide necessary security and logistical support during this immediate post-conflict period.
Through this project, the MoA and MoWR are taking the first step toward effectively engaging its people and farmers to create successful solutions to build upon in Iraq’s farmlands. The engagement of ministries with communities will empower Iraq’s citizens and inspire confidence for future partnerships.
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