Summit looks to spark economic growth

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Jason Stadel | Southern Baghdad business owners and leaders take notes during an economic summit held at FOB Kalsu on April 24.  

ISKANDARIYAH, IRAQ

04.27.2008

Story by Sgt. Jason Stadel 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

By Sgt. Jason Stadel
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Iraqi business owners and agricultural leaders attended a presentation on economic growth on April 24 at FOB Kalsu.

The summit was headed by the Baghdad-7 embedded provincial reconstruction team and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. Four guest speakers spoke to a crowd of more than 30 business owners from Arab Jabour, Hawr Rajab, Adwaniya, Sayifiyah, Zambraniyah, Khamasiyah, Busayefi, Sekhreechet and Maderiyah.

The economic summit served two purposes: It allowed regional farmers and business leaders to meet and share information about their industries, and it taught them about new programs created by the Ministry of Agriculture to promote growth.

Capt. Jeffrey Brizek, ePRT agriculture deputy, said MoA will offer loan programs to farmers with reduced interest rates of three to five percent and subsidized fertilizer and feed to local farmers unions.

"We wanted to stress the importance of working relationships between the farmers unions in the area and their representatives to the MoA in order to achieve a unified goal of producing an economic means of stabilization and feeding the country," said Brizek of Reading, Pa.

Mike Stevens, ePRT agriculture adviser, was one of the guest speakers at the summit. Stevens, a U.S. Department of Agriculture employee, helps link coalition forces with the government of Iraq.

Stevens told the business owners that in the United States, agriculture products are slowly replacing a dependency on fossil fuels.

"There are about 12 plants in my home state of Minnesota that refine corn into gas and soybeans into diesel," Stevens said.

This shows a good example of how agriculture will have a major role in Iraq's future, he said.

The economic summit also allowed business owners from different regions to come together and meet, which Stevens said could spark economic development between communities.

"They left the summit with a better idea and lots of information about the different topics covered by the speakers," said Basil Razzak, ePRT economics adviser. "They were eager to cooperate with each other, exchange ideas, and focus on training and networking. Most importantly, they know now how and where to go for loans, registration of organizations and (non-governmental organizations), training and any other support."

To keep area business owners abreast of economic developments and projects in other communities, members of the ePRT will produce and disseminate an economic-based newsletter to community councils.

• Date Taken: 04.27.2008
• Date Posted: 04.27.2008 18:12
• Story ID: 18809
• Location: ISKANDARIYAH, IQ