Contents

A Blue-Print for increased Agricultural Production and Environmental

Protection of Iraqi Kurdistan 1
Part I ..................................................................................................
..............................................5
Comments on the Strategic Agricultural
Plan....................................................................................... 5
Eecutive
Summar! ..............................................................................................
..............................."
#e$uvenating the Agricultural Sector in Iraqi
Kurdistan....................................................................... "
Introduction%..........................................................................................
............................................... "
Im&ortance of the
Sector ...................................................................................................
..................."
Polic!
Issues%...................................................................................................
.................................... "
'and fragmentation and (tili)ation
Issue.............................................................................................. "
*echnical
issues....................................................................................................
............................... +
Promotion of Strategic
Cro&s.....................................................................................................
.......... +
,heat ...................................................................................................
................................................+
So!-ean................................................................................................
................................................ +
.ai)e
/Corn0....................................................................................................
.................................... +
Sunflo1er .................................. .........................................................
..............................................12
Potato....................................................................................................
.............................................. 12
3ruit
*rees ....................................................................................................
......................................12
4lives....................................................................................................
............................................. 12
3orestr!.................................................................................................
............................................. 12
Protecting the
Environment..........................................................................................
....................... 12
Esta-lishing 5ational
Par6s.....................................................................................................
........... 11
Esta-lishing Botanical
7ardens ...............................................................................................
....... 11
Su&&ort to Im&ortant Agro-
Industries ..............................................................................................
....11
#ecommended Agro-
industries. .............................................................................................
..............18
1. Animal and Poultr! 3eed
Production.............................................................................................
...18
8. 9air!
Production ............................................................................................
................................18
:. Production of
Pasta.....................................................................................................
................... 18
;. *omato Paste
Production ............................................................................................
...................18
5. 3ruit and <egeta-le Canning= and
>uicing. ....................................................................................18
?. <egeta-le 4il
Production ............................................................................................
..................18
@. Sugar Production from Sugar
Beets............................................................................................... 18
Aone!-
-ee........................................................................................................
.................................. 1:
Part
II ................................................................................
......1;
*he .ain
#e&ort ..................................................................................................
............................1;
#e$uvenating the Agricultural Sector in Iraqi
Kurdistan ...................................................................1;
Introduction% .........................................................................................
.............................................1;
Im&ortance of the Agricultural
Sector ...............................................................................................1;
Ste&s in the #e$uvenation of the Agriculture
Sector........................................................................... 15
Polic!
Issues% ..................................................................................................
..................................15
*echnical
Issues....................................................................................................
........................... 1?
Su&&ort to Agricultural
#esearch...............................................................................................
...... 1?
S&ecific #ecommendation for Enhancing Agricultural
Production.................................................. 1@
Im&ortance of Agricultural
Etension .............................................................................................
.1@
.echani)ation of Agricultural
activities%........................................................................................ 1@
Im&roving Cultural Practices on farmers
3ields.............................................................................. 1"
Im&roved seed= nurser! stoc6s and animal
-reeds ...........................................................................1"
Satisf!ing the 5utritional needs of Plants= 'ivestoc6 and
Poultr! ....................................................1"
Su&&l! of
Credit ....................................................................................................
..........................1"
Buarantine .easures for Agricultural
Products ..............................................................................1+
Storage
Ca&acit! ...............................................................................................
..............................1+
.ar6eting of Agricultural
&roducts ...............................................................................................
..1+
#esolving 4utstanding Polic!
Issues ...............................................................................................1+
Im&lementation of the 4il for 3ood
Program.................................................................................... 82
Agricultural Credit
Ban6s....................................................................................................
............ 82
<ertical increases of s&ecific
Cro&s................................................................................................ 82
,heat ...................................................................................................
...........................................82
Introduction of
So!-ean................................................................................................
.................. 82
.ai)e
/Corn0 ...................................................................................................
...............................81
Sunflo1er..............................................................................................
.......................................... 81
Potato ...................................................................................................
...........................................81
3ruit
*rees ....................................................................................................
..................................81
4lives....................................................................................................
.......................................... 88
3orestr!.................................................................................................
........................................... 88
Protecting the
Environment .........................................................................................
.....................88
7ro1ing
.ushroom ............................................................................................
.............................8:
Esta-lishment of 5ational
Par6s ....................................................................................................
..8:
Esta-lishing Botanical
7ardens................................................................................................
....... 8;
Su&&ort to Im&ortant Agro-
Industries...............................................................................................
.8;
#equired Agro-industries in Iraqi
Kurdistan................................................................................... 8;
3eed
Production ............................................................................................
...................................8;
9air!
Production%............................................................................................
................................. 85
Pasta
Production ............................................................................................
...................................85
*omato Paste
Production.............................................................................................
..................... 85
3ruit and <egeta-le Canning and
$uicing ...........................................................................................85
<egeta-le 4il
Production ............................................................................................
.......................85
Sugar Production from Sugar
Beets....................................................................................................
85
Aone!-
-ee .......................................................................................................
...................................8?
Attachment
1 ...........................................................................................................
........................8"
S&ecific #ecommendation for enhancing Agricultural
Production .....................................................8"
Attachment
2 ...........................................................................................................
........................:2
#estructuring the 4il for 3ood
Program ...........................................................................................:2
Attachment
3 ...........................................................................................................
........................::
A Scheme for the Im&lementation of a ,or6a-le Agricultural
Etension S!stem in Iraqi Kurdistan ..::
Attachment
4............................................................................................................
......................... :"
Attachment
5 ...........................................................................................................
.........................;2
'ist of International Agricultural #esearch
Centers ...........................................................................;2
Part I
Comments on the Strategic Agricultural Plan

*he Strategic Agricultural Planning Committee has &re&ared an
am-itious Plan for im&roving the &roduction of a variet! of agricultural
&roducts= and for esta-lishing agro-industries= 1ith the aim of
attaining a degree of food securit!. (nfortunatel!= this Plan cannot
achieve the intended &roduction &otential envisaged -! the
Committee= -ecause the! are -ased of factual field information= ie=
not done through required field sam&le surve!s. 3urther= there is no
indication as to ho1 and 1ho 1ill -e im&lementing the &lan. Is it the
7overnment= or are the farmers e&ected to im&lement 1hat the
government has &lanned for them. In realit!= the num-er of our
farming communities= those 1ho are availa-le and ca&a-le of
&artici&ating in the a&&lication of the &lan= is limited and 1ithout the
technical 6no1-ho1= financial or mechanical ca&acit! to im&lement
such an am-itious Plan. 3urther= such farmers are still living a1a!
from their farms and need su&&ort in order to return to their farms.
*he Committee has also assumed that -! sim&l! allocating funds=
agricultural &roduction can -e increased.
It is im&ortant that= -efore 1e em-ar6 on an! other action= 1e need to
address reasons for the decline of the agricultural &roduction and find
solutions to remove an! eisting o-stacles. Can the farmer com&ete
1ith the vast agricultural im&orts of a variet! of food items that enter
the #egionC Are our &roduction= storage= and mar6eting techniques
of such a standard so as our &roducts can com&ete 1ith the im&orted
goodsC
*he Committee has further completely ignored existing policy
issues. *here is no mention of the negative effect of the o&en trade
&olic!= or the influence of the Oil for Food Program= through 1hich
thousand tons of flour= not heat= are dum&ed monthl! into the
mar6et= lo1ering thus the mar6et &rices of the locall! &roduced
1heat. 3urther= do 1e have an! chec6s to limit the im&ort of fruits
and vegeta-le= &ulses= or dair! &roducts to our regionC *he 1riters of
the &lan have also ignored the im&lementation times required for the
im&ort of agricultural equi&ment= -uilding of the agro-industries= or
even of the time a fruit tree needs to -ear fruits.
*he Plan ignores feasi-ilit! studies required for im&lementing the
recommended agro-industries= their ca&acities= and their economic
advantages for the location 1here the agro-industr! is to -e
constructed= neither there is a stud! for the &ossi-ilit! of mar6eting
the &roducts.
3or a -etter im&lementation of a sound agricultural &lan= 1e need first
to carr! out a general surve! to see the etend of cro& &roduction=
their current &otential !ields= reasons for lo1 &roduction= 1hether
the! are related to a&&lication of lo1 technolog! or are the! caused
-! &olic! issuesC ,e need to !no the general soil fertility levels
to determine the 6ind and amount of fertili)er 1e need to im&ort.
Similarl!= 1e need to see ho1 can 1e raise cro& &roduction levelsC
9o 1e do that -! achieving vertical !ield increases= increasing !ields=
4r= mostl! through hori)ontal means= through increase in the land
areaC If it is the latter= 1here and ho1 much= and -! 1hat meansCC
'oo6ing at the Plan one sees an etensive sho&&ing list. *he Plan is
done in a hast! mechanical 1a! 1ithout much thought on ho1 it is to
-e im&lemented= 1ho 1ill im&lement it= and 1hether the government
is ta6ing u& the 1hole -urden= on a socialist st!le= or is it sold to the
farmers 1ho 1ere not involved in its &re&aration.
3or the im&rovement of the agriculture &roduction and to re$uvenate
various agricultural sectors= 1e need an entirel! different a&&roach.
*he a&&roach to -e used 1ould -e in line 1ith the ,orld Ban6
s!stem= 1here-!= after identif!ing a s&ecific area that requires
su&&ort= a thorough &ro$ect &re&aration is carried out 1hich sets
do1n detailed information on the sector= such as a"aila#le lands$
production le"els$ status of the farming communities$ num#er of
agricultural machinery present$ and a hole range of
information of policy matters and local capa#ilities. After such an
ehaustive stud!= then a &ro$ect a&&raisal is formulated to address
the issues identified under the initial &re&aration stud!. *his a&&raisal
then is follo1ed u& -! an im&lementation &lan through a &ro$ect
management s!stem that 1ould -e in charge of the im&lementation
1or6s. 3urther= to chec6 on the &rogress of the &ro$ect com&onents=
a follo1-u& s!stem is &ut in &lace to chec6 on the &rogress made
under the &ro$ect and 6ee&s a 1atchful e!e on the im&lementation
details of the &ro$ect.
*his is the -asis of &ro$ect formulation and its im&lementation. Ao1
long does it ta6eC *hat de&ends on the &ro$ect com&onents as
identified in the im&lementation &lan.
It is m! suggestion this ne1 a&&roach is to -e used for the
re%u"enation of the agricultural sector. *here 1ould -e a main
&ro$ect 1ith s&ecific com&onents= or a num-er of &ro$ects targeting
s&ecific cro&s or agro-industries. If the authorities are interested= then
I 1ill &re&are a detail account on ho1 a ne1 &lan -e made for the
re$uvenation of the agricultural sector. & also recommend that the
'orld (an! #e re)uested to participate in the formulation of a
comprehensi"e plan to re%u"enate the sector as soon as
possi#le* & ha"e #een a mem#er of many such
preparation+appraisal teams ho "isited many countries around
the orld ho ere supported #y (an! loans toard impro"ing
their agricultural sectors*
Eecutive Summar!
,e%u"enating the Agricultural Sector in &ra)i -urdistan
Introduction%
*he Agricultural sector has -een -adl! damaged. *he relocation of
village farmers to collective settlements= the im&lementation of the 4il
for 3ood Program= 7overnmentDs inaction on &olic! matters= its o&en
door trade &olic!= lac6 of training of the agricultural staff= and
-udgetar! restrictions have 6e&t the agricultural sector in lim-o.
Im&ortance of the Sector%
-urdistan remains the main agriculturally producti"e region of
&ra). .oderate rainfall has made annual cereal &roduction &ossi-le.
3urther= natural range has &rovided feed to the livestoc6 to a large
etent. &n addition$ surface and underground ater has made
summer culti"ation feasi#le.
#e$uvenation of the agriculture sector is crucial to sta-ili)e the
econom! of Iraqi Kurdistan= it ould pro"ide food security for the
population$ a#sor# the high rate of current unemployment= and
impro"e and sta#ili.e the )uality of life of "illage communities.
Such re$uvenation 1ould also contri-ute to -etter environment=
im&roved 1ater conservation and decreased soil erosion.
Polic! Issues%
*he 4il-for-3ood-Program% #estructuring the 4il for 3ood &rogram=
should ta6e to& &riorit!= as it is the main disincentive to the
&roduction of our ma$or cro&= 1heat. /Please see Attachment E1=
F#estructuring the 4il for 3ood ProgramG0. 3urther the issue of o&en
trade &olic! should -e revie1ed and required action -e ta6en to cur-
the uncontrolled influ of goods into Kurdistan= es&eciall! 1hen
qualit! chec6s is less than to -e desired.
'and fragmentation and (tili)ation Issue%
'and fragmentation is another negative factor in the 1a! of im&roving
&roduction levels of the agricultural sector.
/egislation for restricting use of the agricultural lands for non0
agriculture purposes are re)uired to limit use of the Agricultural
lands for settlement$ industrial and other non agricultural uses.
3urther= non essential road construction in the mountainous
areas should #e for#idden to preser"e the integrity of the
existing landscape $ preser"e the underground ater le"els$ and
slo don soil erosion*
*echnical issues%
*o enhance &roduction level = Agricultural #esearch and Etension
activities should -e su&&orted to select im&roved &lant and animal
-reeds ith impro"ement in applied cultural practices and
li"estoc! management$ such as Soil fertili.ation$ use of eed
and pest control measures$ #etter storage and mar6eting
&ractices= &rovision and -etter use of mechani)ation techniques=
im&roved animal nutrition = e&ansion of fruit nurseries= and &rovision
of agricultural credit. Further$ to protect the animal and plant
ealth from the menace of endemic $ pandemic$ and epidemics$
a strict )uarantine measure must #e applied at #order entry
points. In addition= storage and mar!eting practices must #e
upgraded to compete in a glo#al mar!et.
Promotion of Strategic Crops
'heat is an essential staple crop that e cannot do ithout. A
scheme is -een suggested for the lo rainfall areas$ ta!ing
1armian as an eam&le. Please see attachment233 4 5nhancing
'heat production 6ields in 1armian7*
Soy#ean
So!-ean is an im&ortant cro& that should -e &romoted and cultivated
on a large scale. 8his crop ma!es up an important feed
ingredient for li"estoc! and poultry.
9ai.e :Corn;
.ai)e or corn is another outstanding cro&= not onl! for use as
mixture ith soy#ean as feed= -ut also for human consum&tion.
Sunfloer
Sunfloer is an oil crop that can -e gro1n &rofita-l! in Iraqi
Kurdistan under rainfed conditions= and it is the chief source of
household "egeta#le oil*
Potato
Potato is an im&ortant sta&le food for all sectors of the societ! and
should -e given more attention in research to select disease free
varieties and to plan annual certified potato seed production in
selected cool region of -urdistan.
Fruit 8rees
-urdistan is home to important fruit tree species$ pirus
species:Pears;* 9any other fruits do ell$ especially plums$
peaches$ almonds$ alnuts$ pomegranate$ cherries and figs*
Another important fruit is the grape. Su&erior fruit trees should -e
isolated and used as mother trees -eing the source for grafting other
trees.
Oli"es
Oli"es are gron in ormer climates and has a limited area* 8he
crop is "ery important #oth as a source of ta#le oli"es$ or for
pressing and production of oil* Farmers in suita#le areas must
#e encouraged and supported* to expand its culti"ation.
Forestry
3orestr! has survived the 1orst at the hands of the former regime in
its scorched earth cam&aign for over three decades. 'andmines
a-ounds in the countr!side and 1ould &ossi-l! ta6e !ears to resolve.
8he Forestry <epartment has #een planting o"er half a million
trees in the region e"ery year for the past 1= years* 8his effort
should continue and need not slo don. 3orest tree nurseries
should -e e&anded and su&&orted. Forests$ in addition to their
aesthetic "alue$ impro"e the en"ironment$ are important
sanctuaries for the ild life$ in addition$ to facilitating soil ater
percolation thus help increasing underground ater storage*
Protecting the 5n"ironment
*han6s to the efforts of the K#7= forest trees are #ac! on trac!$
ild life is on the increase$ and las prohi#iting tree cutting and
!illing ild life are in effect. Ao1ever the menace of land mines 1ill
sta! 1ith us for !ears to come= requiring intensive action -! our
government.
#oads in the countr!side must -e -uilt 1ith utmost care. Ban on
hunting 1ild life should continue and strict measures must -e ta6en
to &revent 1ild fires. S&ecial instruction s are required to regulate
&u-lic land for &icnics to avoid damage to the countr!side and
&revention of the 1ild fires.
5sta#lishing >ational Par!s
It is ver! im&ortant that large &arcels of land in selected suita-le
areas are set aside as national &ar6s to 6ee& at least &art of the
countr!side in a natural state. *herefore= isolating large &arcels of
land at s&ecific locations ill pro"ide the pu#lic ith grounds to
en%oy$ help and ould protect scenic location from a#use$ and
the natural "egetation ould #e preser"ed*
5sta#lishing (otanical 1ardens
(otanical gardens are esta#lished to help preser"e the flora and
fauna of the area here they are set up. .an! &lant and animal
s&ecies are annuall! endangered and &ossi-l! lost. *herefore=
selection and protection of fe specific locations are important
to protect and preser"e the genetic "ariations that exist in our
natural flora and fauna of our countryside* Further$ specific
plant species could #e mo"ed into this area to insure their
safeguard.
Support to &mportant Agro0&ndustries
*o -etter utili)e local agriculture &roducts and to decrease
dependence on imports of household needs for pasta$ oils$
sugar$ canned "egeta#les and fruits$ <airy products$ %ams and
fruit %uices$ and in order to &rovide for a mar6et for these &roducts=
esta#lishment of specific agro0industries #ecome a must=
es&eciall! to &rovide for $o-s for the &eo&le and to raise the living
standards of the rural &o&ulation. Such agro0industries ould #e
esta#lished in specific areas !non for their potential for the
production of the ra material re)uired* A feasi#ility study must
#e carried out to delineate potential areas here the agro0
industry is to #e set up$ citing clear ad"antages o"er other
suggested sites* 8he decision needs to #e strictly #ased on the
economic ad"antage rather than regional ri"alries or political
decision* 5xisting agro0industries should #e supported or
expanded and its management to #e impro"ed*
,ecommended Agro0industries*
1* Animal and Poultry Feed Production
4ne of the im&ortant Agro-industries that need to #e immediately
set up is feed mills hich are needed #y the li"estoc! and the
poultry enterprises. Current mar6et &rices of -eef= lam- and &oultr!
are rather high mainl! due to high im&ort &rices of feed.
2* <airy Production
-urdistan is ell suited for li"estoc! production due to
a#undant range and extensi"e production possi#ilities of feed*
8he current large import of dairy products is un0arranted.
3* Production of Pasta
*he eisting &asta &roduction agro-industr! should -e su&&orted=
1ith &ossi-le e&ansion.
4* 8omato Paste Production
Similar consideration as &resented in A a-ove should -e considered.
5* Fruit and ?egeta#le Canning$ and @uicing*
5sta#lishment of a#o"e agro0industries ould impro"e and
expand fruit production in &ra)i -urdistan and ould lead to
increased production and #etter management of fruit orchard as
mar!et demands increased for fruits and "egeta#les.
A* ?egeta#le Oil Production
8he main crop used at present is the sunfloer. Since the current
fe oil pressing plants are insufficient= a feasi-ilit! stud! 1ould -e
required to determine 1here other processing agro0industries #e
set up$ sufficient to satisfy the needs of the local population.
B* Sugar Production from Sugar (eets
1roing the #eets alone for sugar production is costly and
ould #ecome economical only hen com#ined ith the dairy
industry* Another im&ortant consideration is that introducing sugar
#eet in the farming crop rotation program$ impro"es production
potential and leads to increased yields in such a rotation.
C* Doney0#ee
-urdistan is ell suited for the honey#ee culture and its
production should #e expanded and impro"ed.

Part II
8he 9ain ,eport
#e$uvenating the Agricultural Sector in Iraqi Kurdistan
&ntroduction3
#easons for the sad state of agriculture in Iraqi Kurdistan are man!
and quite com&licated. A quic6 surve! of the mar6ets sho1 clearl!
that "ery fe locally produced agricultural products are to #e
found* Aere= I 1ish to highlight some of the main o#stacles that
1ere detrimental to the sector. First$ the relocation of "illage
farmers to collecti"e settlements disrupted farmersE ay of life
and discouraged many to e"er return to the farming profession*
*his forced relocation made man! to &ic6 u& $o-s other than farming.
*heir Children also gre1 u& in a non-farming environment= -ecoming
reluctant to return to village life. Second$ the implementation of the
Oil for Food Program$ hich is #eing continued to date$ al#eit
ith a slight modification$ ga"e a hea"y #lo to farmersE effort
to return to the farming sector* (nder this &rogram food needs of
the &o&ulation 1ere secured solel! through im&ort= rather than
through local purchase= 1hich made mar6eting of local &roduction
&ro-lematic. A thorough revie1 of this &rogram and its immediate
modification is &aramount to an! &rogress in enhancing agricultural
&roduction. Added to these to main factors is go"ernmentEs
lac! of focus on the agricultural sector$ its open door trade
policy$ lax in the training of the agricultural staff$ and limited
#udgetary allocation that ha"e !ept the sector in lim#o*
&mportance of the Agricultural Sector
-urdistan remains the main agriculturally producti"e region of
&ra). .oderate rainfall has made annual cereal &roduction &ossi-le.
3urther= natural range has &rovided for the -asic needs of the
livestoc6 to a large etent. In addition= moderate availa-ilit! of
surface and underground 1ater has made summer cultivation also
&ossi-le.
#e$uvenation of the agriculture sector is crucial to sta-ili)e the
econom! of Iraqi Kurdistan and insure the return of the farmers to
their villages. Again$ re%u"enation of the sector ould pro"ide
food security of the population* *he 1orld is seeing a trend in the
shortage of agricultural &roduction 1hich 1ould &ush &rices u&= 1ith
lo1er qualit!= in addition to the facts that im&orting certain food items
ma! $ust not -e &ossi-le. Su&&orting this sector insures Kurdistan to
totall! de&end on itself for its essential food needs= 1ith &ossi-le
e&ort of its sur&lus= either to the rest of Iraq= or for e&ort. Another
im&ortant -enefit is that re%u"enation of the sector ould a#sor#
the high rate of unemployment that is rampant among the our
youth$ ho ha"e lined up to migrate out of the country$ in spite
of great ris! to their life* Kurdistan cannot afford losing its
talented youth. 3urther= re$uvenation of the sector 1ould im&rove
and sta-ili)e the qualit! of life of village communities. *he current
medie"al status of the "illage life need to change and must #e
#rought up to %oin the era of inno"ati"e technologies in
agricultural production* 3urther= $udicial utili)ation of our god-given
natural resources 1ould contri-ute to -etter environment= im&roved
1ater conservation and decreased soil erosion.
Steps in the ,e%u"enation of the Agriculture Sector
Polic! Issues%
*o re$uvenate the agricultural sector= attention should -e focused first
and foremost on the negative effects of current &olic! issues=
es&eciall! those related to im&ortH e&ort= of agricultural &roducts=
and that of the 4il for 3ood &rogram= and others.
#egarding the im&ort He&ort issue= 1e need to -e a1are of the facts
that our neigh-ors are heavil! su-sidi)ing their e&orts= thus lo1ering
im&ort &rices. Such &ractices aim at lo1ering local &rices to values
-elo1 the cost of &roduction. Further$ due to lac! of proper
production technology$ yields+per unit area of our agricultural
products are lo$ and also of poor )uality$ adding further to the
already high production cost* 8his situation gi"es additional
ad"antage to imported food items.
*he third im&ortant &olic! issue is that of excessi"e agricultural
land fragmentation due to the application of inheritance las
that leads to the di"ision of the lands among the descendants of
the principal land oner. 3or -etter economic resource utili)ation a
1a! must -e found to increase the si.e of culti"ated fields. It is
also im&ortant that agricultural land oners #e ad"ised to
annually utili.e their fields to increase national production of
agricultural products* &t is imperati"e that no farmer lea"es his
land unculti"ated$ except for %ustified technical reasons. A *a
s!stem should -e &ut in &lace for land un$ustifia-l! left idle during an!
season.
*he fourth im&ortant &olic! issue is the importance of
safeguarding agricultural lands$ to minimi.e its use for
settlement$ roads$ airports$ industrial pro%ects$ etc* emphasi.ing
the use of non0agricultural lands for such needs$ such as hills
and roc!y areas* 3urther= non essential road construction in the
mountainous areas should -e for-idden= not onl! due to its negative
esthetic a&&earance and dangers of soil erosion= -ut most im&ortant
for its negative effect on soil 1ater &ercolation= and eventual
decrease of the ground 1ater in the area.
8echnical &ssues
In a glo-al econom! our farmers have to catch u& 1ith modern
technolog! in order to gain economic advantage in a com&etitive
mar6et. ,e must constantl! u&date our technical ca&a-ilities=
im&rove the qualit! and quantit! of our agricultural &roducts and
catch u& 1ith the outside 1orld. 8o do this e must and foremost
de"elop a cadre of informed agriculturists ho can assist the
farming community attain the degree of excellence in their effort
to impro"e the )uantity and )uality of agricultural products.
Support to Agricultural ,esearch
'e must support the agricultural experimental farms to carry
out meaningful research to select #etter plant and animal #reeds
and de"elop agricultural practices that insures #etter yields and
of #etter )uality plant and animals products. *o develo& this
ca&a-ilit! our agricultural staff need to -e highl! trained= continuousl!
follo1 advancing trends in their s&eciali)ed fields= and #e in touch
ith &nternational Agricultural ,esearch Centers as much as
possi#le. 3urther it is im&ortant that the research staff -e
encouraged to &artici&ate in seminars and conferences as much as it
is &ossi-le. 1reenhouses$ cold storage space$ "eterinary
supplies and facilities$ etc* should #e made a"aila#le to
researchers for carrying out ade)uate research in all aspects of
agricultural impro"ement. 3urther a 1ell educated staff= trained in
&lant= &oultr!= and animal research methodologies is required to carr!
out meaningful research to insure adequate conclusion from the
research conducted. Such staff should have constant communication
1ith relevant International #esearch Centers for consultation and
&eriodic visits. Attending international conferences and s!m&osiums
is another 1a! to enhance the ca&a-ilities of our research 1or6ers.
S&ecific #ecommendation for Enhancing Agricultural Production
Please see attachment 21
&mportance of Agricultural 5xtension
5xtension is the art of transferring nely0found technologies
from research institutions to farmersE fields to impro"e the
)uality and )uantity of agricultural products. ,ithout this activit!=
research results 1ill remain unused and mone! s&ent on research
activities 1asted. *herefore= a&&l!ing a suita-le and economical
etension s!stem -ecomes &aramount to introduction of -etter
farming &ractices= and to enhance levels of agricultural &roduction
-oth quantitativel! and qualitativel!. Su&&ort to this center involves
insuring staff mo-ilit!= continuous training of the staff in the art of
&lant and animal &roduction and regular visits to farmers fields=
es&eciall! at critical times of animal= &oultr!= and &lant &roduction
c!cles.
9echani.ation of Agricultural acti"ities3
9odern agriculture re)uires suita#le agricultural e)uipments
and implements to ade)uately carry out timely field
re)uirements* 8he machinery re)uirements of the agricultural
sector is seasonal$ and hence$ it is important to ha"e the
machinery a"aila#le at the proper time re)uired* (y proper
machinery it is meant that ade)uate selection #e made for the
plains and the mountainous areas for ploing$ har"esting$ and
seeding needs* Soil depths and texture also dictate the type of
machinery needed. At &resent small harvesters are lac6ing in the
mountainous regions= dela!ing the thrashing of 1heat gro1n in these
areas. 9ee& &lo1ing should -e avoided in shallo1 soils and therefore
selection of &ro&er machiner! is essential to 6ee& the agricultural
field fertile= and avoid soil erosion.
&mpro"ing Cultural Practices on farmers Fields
Cultural practices in"ol"e the total handling and management of
the agricultural operations on the farm* Proper management
in"ol"es timely immuni.ation of the farm animals$ soil
fertili.ation$ applying eed and pest control measures$ seed
preparation$ timely planting and har"esting$ proper storage$
minimi.ing after har"est losses$ etc* all are management tas!s
that enhances agricultural production on the farm*
&mpro"ed seed$ nursery stoc!s and animal #reeds
Annual= su&ervised &roduction of foundation and certified seeds=
selected -! the agricultural research centers insures clean 1eed free
seeds 1ith maimum germination. Suita-le root stoc6s 1ill im&rove
the !ield and qualit! of our fruits. /i!eise introduction of #etter
poultry #reeds and small and large li"estoc! #reeds can
impro"e farmersE ultimate income gains. Artificial insemination of
the local -reed 1ill eventuall! im&rove the &roduction &otential of the
local -reeds.
Satisfying the >utritional needs of Plants$ /i"estoc! and Poultry
Ade)uate supply of proper nutrition to plants$ poultry and
animals is as important as the #reeding stoc!s themsel"es.
Pro&er fertili)ation of cro&s as recommended -! the agricultural
research centers= using ma$or and minor elements= 1ould enhance
&lant !ields. /i!eise proper nutrition of li"estoc! and poultry
ould produce healthy indi"idual$ less li!ely to #e prone to
pre"alent endemic diseases and epidemic disease cycles.
Increased &rovision of fertili)ers and disease and &est control
chemicals= in addition to the &rovision of &ro&er feed for the livestoc6
and &oultr! are im&ortant to sta-ili)e agricultural &roduction.
Supply of Credit
Su&&l! of credit to farmers is essential to ensure timel! needs of the
farmers of feed= fertili)er and &rotective means to raise health!
&lantsHand animals. 3urther= returning farmers should -e more
thoroughl! targeted to encourage them and to hel& them &rocure
their essential needs of im&lements= feeds and fertili)ers.
Fuarantine 9easures for Agricultural Products
8o protect our plants$ poultry and animal ealth$ it is essential
that )uarantine measures ta!en at the entry points of our region
to pre"ent entry of diseased animals$ poultry$ or plants to the
region$ except after thorough )uarantine measures. *his
measure requires that at s&ecific entr! &oints of our regional -orders
all living agricultural items are 6e&t for s&ecific &eriods to insure that
the! are free of harmful diseases that could endanger our o1n.
3acilities of s&ace and qualified staff are required to insure success
of such a scheme.
Storage Capacity
&t is "ital that e ha"e sufficient silos for storing grains
produced in the region to pre"ent after har"est loss* /ea"ing the
grain in the open ill expose it to the #irds and rodents and
other animals to either consume a large part of it$ or otherise
decrease in its )uality and it ill affect its mar!eta#ility.
9ar!eting of Agricultural products
Current mar!eting of our agricultural products is )uite
inade)uate that has contri#uted to product spoilage and
decrease in its "alue* &t is essential that e introduce proper
pac!aging methodology and insure its storage and sale under
proper roofing that eliminates ad"erse eather conditions of
rain$ heat or cold and damaging effects of rodents and pests*
,esol"ing Outstanding Policy &ssues
4&en-door *rade Polic! of Agricultural Im&orts. 8he current open
door trade policy for importing all agricultural products has to
#e #etter managed. .an! of the im&orts are heavil! su-sidi)ed -!
their governments to facilitate its mar6eting in Kurdistan.. 3urther=
due to minimum qualit! control measures on our side$ the )uality of
the imported products is #elo international standards. Also=
taxation of imported goods is not high enough to deter such
imports* 3urther= im&orting of items locall! availa-le should -e
minimi)ed. 8he current ide open door policy$ ith minimum
taxation and )uality control has gi"en ad"antage to imported
goods. At the same time= farmers should #e supported to impro"e
on their storage and mar!eting techni)ues to encourage
consumers purchase local products* 8his trade policy should #e
seriously loo!ed at*
&mplementation of the Oil for Food Program
*he 4il for 3ood Program has #een the main disincenti"e factor in
the agricultural sector. A thorough discussion of the negative
effects of this &rogram a&&ears in Attachment E1= &resented at the
end of this re&ort.
Agricultural Credit (an!s
*o $um&start the agricultural sector$ credit is re)uired to support
returning farmers to restart their farming operations. Such
credits 1ould finance required housing needs= im&lements and tools=
and the &urchase of a num-er of livestoc6= shee&= and &oultr!.
3urthermore= farmers should -e supported to ac)uire irrigation
ater either through extending surface irrigation ater$ or
through drilling artesian ells. Such credits could -e on short or
long terms loans. *he credit -an6s could then engage in the
o&eration of a revolving funds in su&&ort of large farm communities. .
?ertical increases of specific Crops
'heat
'heat is an essential staple crop that e cannot do ithout*
Current yields are rather lo$ less then 2==-g+donum. *his lo1
!ield can -e increased to higher level -! use of certified seeds=
&ro&er field &re&aration= on time &lanting and harvesting= and &ro&er
storage* Doe"er$ the most important factor is the pro"ision of
irrigation ater at critical stages of the heat groth. *herefore
1herever it is feasi-le= irrigation 1ater must -e made availa-le to
insure adequate !ields
&ntroduction of Soy#ean
Soy#ean is another important crop that should #e promoted and
culti"ated on a ide range* &nitial tests sho the success of this
crop in &ra)i -urdistan* 8his crop ma!es up an important feed
ingredient for li"estoc! and poultry hich ill #e mixed ith
other crops such as mai.e$ heat$ and heat hulls plus some
forages and re)uired "itamin additi"es to ma!e up an
outstanding feed mixture. It is recommended that large quantities
of selected varieties of this crop #e immediately procured and
farmers -e encouraged to cultivate it= &ossi-l! under contract 1ith
feed mill industrial enter&rises.
9ai.e :Corn;
9ai.e or corn is another outstanding crop$ not only for use as
mixture ith soy#ean as feed$ #ut also for human consumption.
The crop is well known in Kurdistan but unfortunately it has not
been cultivated on a large scale. Again farmer must -e encourage
to expand its culti"ation for its "alua#le nutritional "alues. As
this cro& is highl! cross &ollinated= it is ad"isa#le to initially import
synthetic "arieties rather than dou#le cross hy#rids due to its
prohi#iti"e high cost and decline of its yield hen gron in
successi"e years. Ao1ever future research efforts should its
attention to &roduce dou-le h!-rid varieties 1hich are more
&roductive.
Sunfloer
Sunfloer is an oil crop that can #e gron profita#ly in &ra)i
-urdistan and it is the chief source of household "egeta#le oil* &t
is gron for the most part under rainfed condition in early
spring$ #ut it should #e irrigated if spring rainfall is insufficient*
Potato
Potato is an im&ortant sta&le food for sectors of the societ! and
should -e given more attention in research to select disease free
varieties and to plan annual certified potato seed production in
selected cool region of -urdistan. Attention should -e focused on
the &roduction of virus free varieties ith specific coo!ing )ualities
desired #y the people. Further, cold storage facilities need to be
provided to insure adequate annual seed distribution that are
fungus and virus free. Such seed production could be also
produced under contract with farmers for the production of
certifies seeds.
Fruit 8rees
-urdistan is home to important fruit tree species$ pirus
species:Pears;* 9any other fruits do ell$ especially plums$
peaches$ almonds$ alnuts$ pomegranate$ cherries and figs*
Another important fruit is the grapes ith hundreds of "arieties
spread out in the countryside mostly gron under rainfed
condition. Gnfortunately$ a pure stand rarely exists and e"ery
orchard is a mixture of many sorts. 3urther its cultivation has not
im&roved in s&ite of centur! old cultivation. A fe1 !ears ago over 822
cultivars 1ere collected and &lanted in the e&erimental farms= no
further action has -een follo1ed u& to1ards a 1ider stud! and
selection of the su&erior t!&es* Also fruit tree nurseries should #e
expanded to carry out research on local "arieties$ and introduce
superior mother plants for impro"ing local orchards. Such fruit
trees are isolated and used as mother trees for grafting other fruit
trees.
Oli"es
Oli"es are gron in ormer climates and has a limited area* *he
cro& is ver! im&ortant -oth as a source of ta-le olives= or for &ressing
and &roduction of oil. Farmers in suita#le areas must #e
encouraged to expand its culti"ation$ Further$ small oil press
should #e imported and located close to oli"e production areas
to facilitate oli"e oil production*
Forestry
After !ears of a-use= -urning and cutting= forestr! has survived the
1orst at the hands of the former regime in its scorched earth
cam&aign for over three decades* Further the regime #uried
millions of landmine:estimated at 2= million; close to areas of
com#at ith &ran. ,hile to the K#7 effort= has acted forci-l! against
tree cutting and hunting of the 1ild life$ the scope of the landmines
in the countryside ould ta!e possi#ly half a century to resol"e.
*he 3orestr! 9e&artment has -een &lanting over half a million trees
in the region for the &ast 12 !ears. *his effort should continue and
need not slo1 do1n. 3orest tree nurseries must -e su&&orted to
&roduce suita-le seedling as much as &ossi-le. 3orests= in addition
to their aesthetic value= im&rove the environment= are im&ortant
sanctuaries for 1ild life= in addition= to facilitating soil 1ater
&ercolation thus increasing degree of underground 1ater storage.
Protecting the 5n"ironment
8he scorched earth policy of the (aathist regime during its
campaign against the -urdish people folloed #y the in"asion
of &ran$ de"astated the countryside. 8he army cut and #urned
#ushes$ and forest trees$ #uild uncon"entional roads$ and dug
up the hills for the tan!s$ thus exposing the landscape to a
serious soil erosion. *han6s to the efforts of the K#7= as
mentioned in the &revious section= forest trees are -ac6 on trac6= 1ild
life is on the increase= and la1s &rohi-iting tree cutting and 6illing 1ild
life are in effect* Doe"er the menace of land mines ill stay ith
us for years to come$ re)uiring intensi"e action #y our
go"ernment.
Building un-necessar! roads on the mountains and hillsides should
-e for-idden= not onl! for its negative aesthetic value= -ut also to
decrease erosion and increase soil 1ater &ercolation. ,hen
a-solutel! necessar!= such roads must -e -uilt 1ith utmost care.
3urther Ban on hunting 1ild life should continue= and strict measures
-e a&&lied to &revent 1ild forest fires. Such fires are usuall! start 1ith
negligence -! a &asser-! thro1ing a lighted cigarette= or other1ise
-! &icnic6ers 1ho leave their fires -urning after the! leave. Some
regulations are in order regarding the use of &u-lic lands for &icnics.
1roing 9ushroom
9ushroom as found to gro successfully in &ra)i -urdistan
and many farmers learned the art of groing and mar!eting it
successfully. (nfortunatel! the .inistr! of Agriculture stopped
supporting the farmers #y stopping the import of the spores
hich they ere producing some years ago* 8his effort should
#e restarted as mushrooms are desired #y the people and is
#eing imported currently from neigh#oring countries*
5sta#lishment of >ational Par!s
Esta-lishment of national &ar6s is ver! im&ortant to &reserve the
integrit! of some areas in the countr!side. It is ver! im&ortant that
large &arcels of land in selected suita-le areas are set aside as
national &ar6s to 6ee& at least &art of the countr!side in a natural
state. Such areas 1ould -e en$o!ed -! &eo&le 1ho love nature= and
1ould also hel& &reserve national 1ealth of the fauna and flora of the
area 1here such &ar6s are &rotected. At &resent 1e see man! &arts
of the countr!side a-used -! irregular settlement as &eo&le -uild
an!1here the! li6e= destro!ing in the &rocess the natural ha-itat -!
-uilding roads= cutting trees= landsca&ing and terracing the slo&es= at
great ris6s of endangering the environment and e&osing the area to
erosion. *herefore isolating &arcels of land at s&ecific locations 1ill
&rovide &rotect scenic sights from a-use= and 1ould &rovide &eo&le
to en$o! &art of the untouched countr!side.
5sta#lishing (otanical 1ardens
Botanical gardens are esta-lished to hel& &reserve the flora and
fauna of the area 1here the! are set u&. .an! &lant and animal
s&ecies are annuall! endangered and &ossi-l! lost forever due to
human or animal activities of continued a-use either through various
human activities of road -uilding= settlement construction= or -! the
animals through continued overgra)ing. *herefore= selection and
&rotection of fe1 s&ecific locations are im&ortant to &rotect and
&reserve the genetic variations that eist in our natural flora and
fauna of our countr!side. 3urther= s&ecific &lant s&ecies could -e
moved into this area to insure their safeguard.
Support to &mportant Agro0&ndustries
*o -etter utili)e local agriculture &roducts and to decrease
de&endence on im&orts of household needs for &asta= oils= sugar=
canned vegeta-les and fruits= $ams and fruit $uices= and in order to
&rovide for a mar6et for these &roducts= esta-lishment of s&ecific
agro-industries -ecome a must es&eciall! to &rovide for $o-s for the
&eo&le and to raise the living standards of the rural &o&ulation. Such
agro0industries ould #e esta#lished in specific areas !non
for its potential for the production of the ra material re)uired* A
feasi-ilit! stud! must -e carried out to delineate the &otential area
1here the agro-industr! is to -e set u& citing clear advantages over
other suggested sites. *he decision needs to -e strictl! -ased on the
economic advantage rather than regional rivalries or &olitical
decision. Eisting agro-industries should -e su&&orted or e&anded
and its management to -e im&roved.
,e)uired Agro0industries in &ra)i -urdistan
Feed Production3
One of the important Agro0industries that need to #e
immediately set up is feed mills hich are needed #y the
li"estoc! and the poultry enterprises. Current mar6et &rices of
-eef= lam- and &oultr! are rather high mainl! due to high im&ort
&rices of feed. *he feed im&orted is also of lo1 standards 1hich does
not satisf! the required nutrition of the animals and &oultr!. Such
industries must #e esta#lished in specific areas of cereal
production$ in addition to areas here soy#eans and mai.e are
gron as summer crops here irrigation potential is a"aila#le.
Im&lementation of this industr! has the &riorit! to decrease local meat
&rices to -enefit the lo1er income grou& 1ho at &resent meat and
&oultr! &rice level have -een disadvantaged.
<airy Production3
,ith our vast rangelands and feed &roduction resources= our region
should em-ar6 on vast dair! agro-industries for the &roduction of mil6
and mil6 &roducts.
Pasta Production3
*he eisting &asta &roduction agro-industr! should -e su&&orted=
1ith &ossi-le e&ansion. A feasi-ilit! stud! is needed to determine if
others are needed in other location -ased on the etent of local
needs and e&ort &otentialit!.
8omato Paste Production3
Similar consideration as &resented in A a-ove should -e considered.
Fruit and ?egeta#le Canning and %uicing3
Esta-lishment of a-ove agro-industries 1ould im&rove and e&and
fruit production in &ra)i -urdistan and ould lead to #etter
management of fruit orchard as mar!eting potential ould #e
increased. E&erimental fruit nurseries should -e e&anded.
Suita-le and su&erior fruit trees should -e selected and gro1n as
mother trees for im&roving farmers orchards. Similar consideration
1ould -e given to vegeta-les 1here s&ecific suita-le canning
varieties must -e selected and its cultivation -e e&anded.
?egeta#le Oil Production3
8he main crop used at present is sunfloer* Since the current
fe oil pressing plants are insufficient$ a feasi#ility study ould
#e re)uired to determine here other processing agro0
industries #e set up that ill #e sufficient to satisfy the needs of
the local population.
Sugar Production from Sugar (eets3
8he &ra)i population in general and the -urdish people in
particular consume large )uantities of sugar. In the middle of the
last centur! to sugar plants ere constructed$ one in 9osul in
1H5H$ and the other in Sulaimany here a small percentage of
sugar needs of the population as satisfied. Ao1ever= the sugar
industry in 9osul has stopped$ hile the one in Sulaimany as
#om#ed out during the &ra)+&ran 'ar. Another attem&t at
re$uvenating the sugar industr! is recommended= es&eciall! that this
crop ould support the rise of dairy industry$ as the latter
utili.es a silage mix of the #eetsE #yproducts :#eet tops+pulp and
molasses; for feeding the dairy cos. Actuall!$ groing the #eets
alone for sugar production is costly and ould #ecome
economical only hen com#ined ith the dairy industry. Another
im&ortant consideration is that introducing sugar -eet in the farming
cro& rotation &rogram= im&roved &roduction &otential and leads to
increased level of cro&s in such a rotation. Again= 1e need to carr!
out a feasi#ility study to identify the location here such an
industry -e located and 1here the -ul6 of the cro& &lanted. 1ermian
region ould #e an ideal location for such an enterprise*
Doney0#ee3
5xpansion of honey#ee culture in the countryside is important
not only for the "alua#le har"est of honey hich is an essential
household food$ #ut also for supporting the production of seeds
of many plants and fruit trees hich depend on the #ee for
pollination and seed and fruit formation* An example is alfalfa$
hich is an important li"estoc! feed$ hich cannot form seeds
ithout #ee acti"ity that collects pollen and helps in the
pollination and e"entual seed formation. Kurdistan is 1ell suited
for the honey#ee culture and should #e expanded and
impro"ed. It is unfortunate that the ma$orit! of those 1ho raise
honey#ee use primiti"e #ee0hi"es hich decreases har"est of
the honey hich is also of poor )uality* Farmers should #e
trained and helped to use modern hi"es and #etter cultural
practices to impro"e honey production and its mar!eting
throughout -urdistan*
Attachment 1
S&ecific #ecommendation for enhancing Agricultural Production
1. 3or an efficient utili)ation of land resources= a com&rehensive soil
sur"ey must #e carry out to a&&raise the ca&a-ilities of our
agricultural lands and to determine the t!&e of cro&s suita-le to -e
gro1n= and the need for s&ecific fertili)er needed.
8. As the ongoing climate change indicates a decrease in the
amount of rainfall$ serious attention must -e &aid to the utili)ation of
our 1ater resources. A surve! of our 1ater resources= -oth surface
and underground 1ater must -e carried out and s&ecific measures
-e ta6en on the -asis of the findings to issue regulations governing
the management of availa-le 1ater resources. ,ell drilling= dam
-uilding= and cro& selection 1ould -e -ased on the findings of this
surve!.
:. Care should -e ta6en in the -uilding of 1ater dams to insure
minimum loss of agricultural lands= and &ossi-le damage to the
environmental of the location* 9odern agriculture re)uires modern
agricultural tractors$ tools and implements for efficient
management of farm operations* Ploing techni)ues "ary
according to soil type$ and therefore farmers must #e made
aare of proper use of the machinery they ha"e to a"oid
damage to the soil and its exposure to erosion*
;. Introduction of &est management control to insure minimum 1eed
and &est &resence to im&rove !ields and qualit! of the cro&Hfruits
&roduced. <eterinar! service must -e u&graded to minimi)e animal
and &oultr! diseases. Ade)uate "eterinary clinics must #e made
a"aila#le to insure proper diagnosis and treatment of farm
animals and poultry. Ecessive after-harvest must -e avoided. *his
measure requires &ro&er storage facilities= silos and &ro&er trans&ort
facilities.
5. As the trend of use of tunnels for "egeta#le production is
increasing$ re)uired technology for raising plants under tunnel
condition need to #e addressed to minimi.e disease and pest
pre"alence under such conditions. 3urther= use of fertili)er= -oth
ma$or and minor must -e thoroughl! investigated. Current -reeds
and management of dair! co1s is less than desired.
?. 9ore attention is re)uired in the feeding and health care of
farm animals*
@. 1reenhouses$ cold storage space$ "eterinary supplies and
facilities$ etc. should -e made availa-le to researchers for carr!ing
out adequate research in all as&ects of agricultural im&rovement.
3urther a 1ell educated staff= trained in &lant= &oultr!= and animal
research methodologies is required to carr! out meaningful research
to insure adequate conclusion from the research conducted. Such
staff should have constant communication 1ith relevant International
#esearch Centers for consultation and &eriodic visits. Attending
international conferences and s!m&osiums is another 1a! to
enhance the ca&a-ilities of our research 1or6ers.
Attachment 8
#estructuring the 4il for 3ood Program
*he continued !ears of strife during the Baath regime starting 1ith
the IraqHIran 1ar /1+"10 demanding ecessive recruitment of the
!oung &o&ulation for 1ar efforts= in addition to government assault on
the Kurdish to1ns and villages during the notorious anfal cam&aign
/1+"@0= follo1ed -! government invasion of Ku1ait/1++20= are events
that have &aral!)ed the agricultural sector* 8he country #ecame
more and more dependent on imports of agricultural products to
feed its people* Ao1ever= -udgetar! allocation for this effort 1as
insufficient= 1hich lead to acute shortage of food items= leaving the
&o&ulation in a famine li6e situation. As a ay out of this dilemma$
the Security Council e"entually came to the rescue and set up a
program to pro"ide for re)uired food item for the &ra)is$ using
money recei"ed from the export of oil for this purpose. *his
action saved man! lives and rescued the countr! from an imminent
famine that 1as quic6l! descending on the countr!. *his &rogram
as named the 4Oil for Food Program7 hich commenced in the
spring of 1HHA*
(nfortunatel!= due to sanctions that 1ere im&osed on Iraq= the
Securit! council for-ade &rocuring an! food item that 1ent into the
monthl! -as6et distri-uted to the &o&ulation from local mar6ets.
3urthermore distri-ution of such -as6ets covered the total Iraqi
&o&ulation= 1ithout ece&tion= to the rich and &oor ali6e.
It is im&erative that this &rogram -e revie1ed and amended= if an!
re$uvenation effort is desired in the 1a! of re$uvenation of the
agricultural sector. *here is no argument that the &oor has to -e
attended to. Ao1ever= distri-uting food items to such an etent= to the
rich and to &oor= is not 1arranted. .ost of the food received -! the
former grou&= -! the 1ell to do &eo&le= is either not claimed= or else
is given a1a!= as charit!= or sold -ac6 in the mar6et. *his &rocedure
inundates the mar6et 1ith sur&lus food items= ma6ing locall!
&roduced food items irrelevant. Further$ farmers ho is capa#le to
depend on himself$ find that he already has hat he needs and
therefore hy #other or!ing in the field to produce agricultural
items that has ould #e sold for a loss*
9y ,ecommendations to address this pro#lem are as follos3
*hat onl! the need! should receive the monthl! food -as6et. *o
im&lement this idea= the families should -e as6ed to su-mit a &etition
that the! cannot survive ithout the monthly #as!et. Such requests
should not -e challenged and should -e com&lied 1ith forth1ith.
5xception to this rule should #e farmers ho on large land
plots$ minimum 32 donums$ :C Da 0 1ho should -e as6ed to get
their needs from farming their o1n lands= or else allo1 others to farm
their lands 1ith an agreed u&on rent. (nder this scheme= such
farmers 1ould -e given a one !ear notice -efore their ration 1ill -e
cut off.
Procurement of food items must #e from local mar!ets for all
food items that are locall! availa-le. 4nl! those items that are in
short su&&l! or not availa-le 1ould -e im&orted..&mport of cereals
:especially heat; should #e in the form of grain rather than
flour* &mporting heat rather than flour has four distinct
ad"antages %
A. *he 1heat in its original form can -e stored for a long time= 1hile
the flour 1ould easil! -e s&oiled.
(. Im&orting the 1heat as flour denies the country from an
important com&onent of the milling #yproduct. 8he hulls that is
separated during milling :a#out B=0C=I;are important feed mix
for poultry and li"estoc! ali!e*
C. .illing the 1heat internall! 1ill increase local em&lo!ment 1ho 1ill
engage in the milling and trans&ort activities of the grain= and during
&oultr! feed &roduction.
<. .one! saved from decreased im&ort of agricultural &roducts could
-e added to the re$uvenation effort of the agriculture sector in the
countr!.
5. 9ecreasing im&orts and den!ing lando1ners from the -as6et
1ould im&rove &rices of local agricultural &ro$ects= thus encouraging
farmers to return to their lands to &artici&ate activel! in the
re$uvenation of the agricultural sector. Im&rovement of the econom!
of the agriculture sector 1ill eventuall! lead to im&rovement of the
qualit! of life at village level and hel& move the farmers from their
current medieval status into the modern age.
*here is no dou-t that 1ithout im&lementation of the a-ove scheme=
or an! other alternative to currentl! im&lemented schemes= no
&rogress can -e achieved in the agricultural sector. *he current oil for
food &rogram is restrictive to an! re$uvenation &rogram of the
agricultural sector in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Attachment :
A Scheme for the &mplementation of a 'or!a#le Agricultural
5xtension System in &ra)i -urdistan
Production methodolog! in the agriculture sector is in need of a
com&lete overhaul. Aside from introduction of recent plastic
houses for producing horticultural crops$ tomato+potato+and
cucum#er;and fe poultry and dairy production pro%ects$
agricultural methodology for the production of ma%or field crops$
"egeta#les and fruits$ re)uires much impro"ement. 'i6e1ise the
animal sector and &oultr! are also in dire need of re$uvenation. 8he
idea of crop and animal management$ care and disease control$
mechani.ation$ fertili.ation$ storage$ mar!eting$ has yet to #e
implemented on a large scale* 9any fields ha"e #een ruined due
to lac! of information on the proper use of agricultural
machinery* Crop yields ha"e remained lo due to minimum use
of uncertified seeds$ lac! of insect and pest control measures$
and other management practices in planting and har"esting
acti"ities.
*herefore= im&lementation of an etension s!stem -ecomes
im&erative to inform farmers to -etter care and management of their
agricultural efforts. Such a &rogram involves assignment of Su-$ect
.atter S&ecialists= 1ee6l! training of the etension staff= and frequent
visits to farmersD fields at critical times of &lant or animal &roduction.
8he folloing scheme has #een ad"ocated #y the 'orld (an!
and has #een implemented in many countries around the orld*
8he scheme is explained as follos%
a* Assignment of a core of su#%ect matter specialists at the 9ain
<istrict /e"el:9uhafada;
8he program ould start first #y the assignment of a core of
specialists at the main agricultural center at the le"el of the
9uhafada$ ho must #e !non for their ide experience and
speciali.ation* 8heir main tas! is the implementation of a ee!ly
training program for the extension or!ers on su#%ects rele"ant
to the seasonal acti"ities. *his grou& of s&eciali)ed &ersonnel
should -e in constant touch 1ith -oth the staff at the agricultural
research centers and that of the universit!. *he agricultural etension
staff at the level of the Faim)amiet /mentioned -elo10 1ill de&end
on them for resolving agricultural &ro-lems in their districts.
#. 8he Faim)miet group receives advice from the core of
s&ecialists /mentioned a-ove0 and 1ould -e made u& of staff familiar
1ith the their district 1ho 1ill advise the etension 1or6ers assigned
to the third level/the 5ahias0. 8hese specialists ould #e the ones
ho ill train the extension or!ers on a ee!ly #asis.
c* At this location$ the >ahias= the agricultural etension 1or6ers
are the ones ho ould #e in direct contact ith farmers on a
planned daily regular "isits to farmers fields located on their
assigned routes. *he etension 1or6ers 1ill also assign the num-er
of contact farmers 1ho 1ould also regularl! -e &resent at the site of
the contact farmers on the da! he visit them. 3urther= there 1ould -e
a-out 12 farmers to each contact farmer 1ho 1i6ll attends the 1ee6l!
visits of the etension 1or6er to the contact farmer.
d* 8he extension or!ers are the ones ho ouild #e in direct
contact ith the fasrmers on a ee!ly #asis. *he! 1ill assign
dail! routes for there visits$ 4 routes per ee!$ hile the fifth day
they ill discuss farmers issues ith the district specialists at
the Faim)miet le"el hio find ansers for existing pro#lems at
the field le"el *
e* An! &ro-lem not resolved -! the second district s&ecialists 1ould
-e discussed at the level of the .uhafada on regular -asis.
*he etension 1or6ers -ecome sort of $ac6 of all trades= as he
-ecome 6no1ledgea-le on all as&ects of &lant= animal= and &oultr!
&roduction and management &ractices= and identifies requirements
needed to maimi)e &lant and animal !ields at the farm level.
8o do his %o#$ an extension or!er must #e gi"en a facility to
"isit farmersE fields for 4 days a ee!$ lea"ing the 5th day for
training* 8o explain further the folloing scheme is in order.
/et us ta!e one district$ say the main <istrict center
:9uhafadha;* ,e 1ill have a core of agricultural s&ecialists/Plants=
&oultr!= livestoc6= and -eneficial insects0 in all as&ects of a s&ecific
disci&line/soil management= insect and &est control measures= and
general cro& and livestoc6 management0 assigned here 1ho 1ill -e
on guard for an! adverse event that ma! come u& and 1ould -e
availa-le to su&&ort the Su-$ect .atter S&ecialists in resolving a
&ro-lem that ma! arise at the .uhafada level.
At the le"el of the secondary district$ Faim)amiet= 1e 1ill have
su-$ect matter s&ecialists selected on the -asis of the agricultural
activit! most relevant to that area. *hese are second level s&ecialists
1ho 1ill -e u&dated &eriodicall! on activities &lanned for that location
-! the main s&ecialist identified in the .ain 9istrict.
At the >ahia$ the third le"el$ 1e 1ill have the agricultural etension
1or6ers 1ho 1ould -e the ones 1ho -e constantl! in touch 1ith the
farmers of their area on a 1ee6l! -asis.
For each agricultural extension or!er an area is mar!ed for his
ee!ly tour* (suall! a num-er of locations are identified on each
tour line= num#ering three of four farmers hom e call contact
farmers*
At the le"el of contact farmers close to 1= neigh#oring farmers
are alerted to come to the contact farmerEs field on a ee!ly
"isit* 8he extension or!er alerts the contact farmer and the
"isiting farmers on the ee! day and the exact time of his "isit
4n these visits= the etension 1or6er 1ill attend to the tas6 of the
da!= -e that an immuni)ation requirement of a livestoc6= a seed
treatment &rocedure -efore &lanting= advising on the feed need of the
&oultr!= or the &runing needs of a tree. *he farm activit! of the
season determines 1hat the etension 1or6er 1ill em&hasi)e.
For the next three days that follos$ the extension or!er ill
choose three other preselected routes attending other contact
farmers and their "isitors$ ad"ocating specific ad"ice for the
season in )uestion.
On the fifth day$ he ill attend a training session at the
Faim)miet center here he explains pro#lems at the farms$ his
recommendations$ and ill present to his su#%ect matter
specialist any )uestion that he may not ha"e resol"ed* At these
sessions the activities of the follo1ing 1ee6 1ill also -e e&lained=
and if there 1as an! com&licated situation 1here the local su-$ect
matter s&ecialist could not ans1er= then the &ro-lem is raised at the
meeting of the su-$ect matter s&ecialists at the main .uhafada
center= 1here the! &eriodicall! meet to settle unresolved matters.
8his 5xtension methodology has #een named 8 and ? 5xtension
System$ or 8raining and ?isit 5xtension methodology= ,here-!
there 1ould -e continuous visits at the farmers fields= and 1ee6l!
training at the level of the Baimqamiet= and &eriodic training at the
.uhafada level= to resolve an! &ro-lem that ma! arise= and most
im&ortantl!= to transfer the latest research findings from the
E&eriment stations to the level of the farming communities= in
addition to returning &ro-lems to the research centers for solution.
It is to -e em&hasi)ed that this extension system is a to ay
"ehicle of technology transfer$ i*e*$ of nely found technologies
to and from research or!ers /Ag. research centersH(niversit!0 to
the etension staff= and eventuall! to farmers fields= 1hile at the
same time information of the effects of the a&&lication such
technologies 1ill flo1 -ac6 to the research 1or6ers. Similarl!=
farmersD &ro-lems 1ill -e transferred from the etension staff -ac6 to
the research center of the universit! to -e resolved and returned.
Such ne1l! found information 1ould also enter into the teaching
curriculum to u&date information on the course -eing taught at the
universit! level.
8he extension system thus identified ill also formali.es
agricultural exhi#its$ arranges for specific pri.es for outstanding
farmers and emphasi.e ne production technologies$ thus
connecting the farmers to the outside farming orld* 8he
system re)uires constant mo#ility of the extension or!er for
hich he needs either a motorcycle or an alternati"e transport
facility$ depending on the trac! the extension on hich the
extension or!er is tra"eling . *he su-$ect matter s&ecialists and
the core s&ecialists also require trans&ort facilities 1hich are needed
to -e &rovided for. *he &rogram requires also video and audio
facilities= s&ecial equi&ment and im&lement for demonstration
&ur&oses= &lus training facilities and &eriodic accommodation of the
staff during their training &rograms. 'ocal and overseas visit should
also -e facilitated to chec6 on the manner of agricultural etension
&rocedures a&&lied in other countries. *he staff 1ould -e encouraged
to attend conferences and s&ecific training &rogram offered -!
International Agricultural #esearch Centers= and other agricultural
institutions else1here.
Attachment 4*
'heat Production in 1armian
O"erhauling of the 8otal Agricultural Production System in
1armian Area
&n the 1armian region$ heat is generally gron under rain0fed
condition. Annual rainfall is unpredicta#le$ and has #een in
short supply in recent years* &t is suggested that in this area$
and any other "ulnera#le areas here rainfall is scanty and crop
production is unpredicta#le$ some measures #e ta!en to
eliminate the chance factor$ to annually insure a fa"ora#le crop
yields.
*he scheme suggested -elo1 is feasi-le and its advantages
out1eigh an! e&enses that might go into the cost.. In this scheme=
irrigation 1ater 1ould -e pro"ided so as to change the area from
rainfed status to an irrigated agriculture. As the area is for the
most part ithout irrigation facilities$ farmers gro heat+and or
#arley under rain0fed condition* <ue to the erratic nature of the
rainfall$ yields are generally lo$ #arely co"ering the production
cost$ especially in the face of lo heat mar!et prices*
It is suggested that a s!stem -e &ut in &lace 1here-! irrigation 1ater
is made availa-le at each farm= to give the o&&ortunit! to the farmer
to use irrigation 1ater at critical time of the cereal cro&= if and 1hen
needed. 4n man! !ears initial rainfall sho1 &romise and farmers
&lant their cro&s enthusiasticall! onl! to find that s&ring rainfall
-ecomes scant! and ends u& either to totall! loose his cro&= or get
!ields -arel! covering the cost of &roduction. (se of irrigation=
&erha&s t1o or three times = &erha&s once at &lanting= another time
at flo1ering and &ossi-l! once in -et1een= 1ould save the cro& from
total failure into 122I !ield de&ending= on !ield. Other ad"antages
of the scheme3
a* ,ith the &ossi-ilit! of irrigation 1ater= summer cro&s 1ould -e
introduced giving the farmer -etter income o&&ortunities. .
#. ,ith the availa-ilit! of the feed cro&s= incor&oration of the livestoc6
in the farming &rogram -ecomes also &ossi-le.
c. 3armers in this area 1ould have the o&&ortunit! to ma6e maimum
use of their land instead of solel! gro1ing an unsure cereal cro& in
the 1inter.
d* Another ad"antage ould #e the di"ersification of the
cropping system here#y many !inds of crops ould #e gron$
pro"iding for #etter nutrition of the families in the area
e* *here 1ould -e also the &otential for the esta-lishment of s&ecific
agro-industries in the area= es&eciall! esta-lishment of feed miing
mills to &rovide for the feed needs of livestoc6 and &oultr!.
f* 1roing specific feed crops such as clo"ers and alfalfa ould
pa"e the ay for introducing honey #ee production in the area
hich feeds on the floers of the forage crops.
g* ,ith the increase of dair! co1s in the area= esta-lishment of a
dair! industr! 1ill also -ecome feasi-le.
h* Another important possi#ility ould #e the introduction of
sugar #eet production in the area$ hich ould #ecome
economical once com#ined ith the implementation of a dairy
industry in the area* 8he sugar #eet tops:mostly lea"es ith part
of the #eet; and the resulting pulp after pressing$ com#ined ith
the molasses produced as a #yproduct in the production of
sugar$ is a super# feed for li"estoc! that #enefits the dairy
industry and ma!es production of sugar from sugar #eet more
economical*
& recommend that a feasi#ility study #e immediately started to
chec! on the possi#ility of the a#o"e scheme* & suggest also
that the 'orld (an! #e in"ited to carry out a comprehensi"e
study of the potential crop production program in this important
region*
Attachment 5
'ist of International Agricultural #esearch Centers
C7IA# J1K
Information a-out the C7IA#= IA#Cs and &rograms and initiatives
CIA* J8K
Information a-out the International Center for *ro&ical Agriculture
CI34# J:K
Information a-out the Center for International 3orestr! #esearch
CI..L* J;K
Information a-out the International .ai)e and ,heat Im&rovement
Center
CIP J5K
Information a-out the International Potato Center
ICA#9A J?K
Information a-out the International Center for Agricultural #esearch
in the 9r! Areas
IC#ISA* J@K
Information a-out the International Cro&s #esearch Institute for the
Semi-Arid *ro&ics
I3P#I J"K
Information a-out the International 3ood Polic! #esearch Institute
II*A J+K
Information a-out the International Institute of *ro&ical Agriculture
I'#I J12K
&nformation a#out the &nternational /i"estoc! ,esearch &nstitute
(io"ersity &nternational J11K
&nformation a#out conser"ation and use of agricultural
#iodi"ersity
I##I J18K
Information a-out the International #ice #esearch Institute
I,.I J1:K
Information a-out the International ,ater .anagement Institute
,orld Agroforestr! Center J1;K
Information a-out the Centre and its research activities
,orld 3ish Center J15K
Information a-out the Center and its research activities
C7IA# Challenge Program on ,ater and 3ood J1?K
Information on the C7IA# Challenge Program targeting 1ater and
food