New agricultural center opens in Safwan

Photo By Staff Sgt. Aaron Thacker | Farmer Hameed Abbas Ali attends to the dedication ceremony of the Safwan Agricultural Center in Safwan, Iraq, Dec. 7.  

SAFWAN, IRAQ

12.07.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Aaron Thacker 

Multi-National Division-South East Public Affairs

SAFWAN, Iraq – A newly renovated agricultural center in Safwan, a town in southern Iraq's Basrah province, was dedicated, Dec. 7.

Members of the Safwan Agricultural Society Board, the Agricultural Society president and coalition representatives were on hand for the celebration.

The newly renovated facility, seeds, tractors, generators, greenhouse kits and plastic sheathing were part of the $1.5 million investment the coalition made to get the community's economy back on its feet.

"This project has jumpstarted the agro-business for farmers," said Sgt. Adam Kirschner, project management officer for the agricultural center. "With 50 percent of the local population in the business, this project creates short term employment, long term employment and improved security for the area."

The building's purpose is to provide a central location for the more than 700 regional farmers to gather and share ideas. They plan to offer basic vocational training as well as newly improved farming techniques and act as a distribution point for farming materials.

The cooperative already has more than two tons of tomato seeds for next year's planting season. With preparation like this, Kirschner, a U.S. army civil affairs Soldier out of Camp Bucca, said that farmers can expect a 25 percent gain in next year's crop production.

In addition to this economic stimulus, the project is turning into trust between the Iraqi communities and coalition forces.

"No one cared for five years," said Hameed Abbas Ali, a local farmer and Safwan Agricultural Society member. "Now the people are starting to respect the coalition forces for this event."

Ali's statement could be quantified by looking at the more than 100 local faces participating in the dedication.

"You see so many farmers here because they are starting to trust this organization," said Khalif Tharab Musseyd, President of the Safwan Agricultural Society, through an interpreter. "We hope that this will bring more of them to join our organization."

Although this project is not complete, leaders like Lt. Col. David Tavassoli, coalition representative for the dedication, sees this as a stepping stone toward Iraqi self-sufficiency.

"This is an honest and noble profession that feeds all of the people of Iraq," said Tavassoli. "Peace loving and hard working men as yourself are the soul and health of this sovereign nation."

• Date Taken: 12.07.2008
• Date Posted: 12.09.2008 08:51
• Story ID: 27367
• Location: SAFWAN, IQ