BAGHDAD, Iraq - As the temperature cools in Baghdad, farmers in the area warm up for this year's wheat and barley planting season with help from Soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
The Soldiers, members of 1st Battalion, 161 Infantry Regiment delivered 20 metric tons of wheat and barley seeds Oct. 20 at two of the capital city's local farming associations.
"We delivered 240, 50 kilo bags, or, 12 metric tons at the Urafiya farmers association," said 1st Lt. Stephan Jaworski, the assistant civil military operations officer for 161 Inf. "Another eight metric tons went to the Al Houda farmers association."
According to Lt. Col. Mark Haney, the officer in charge of civil military operations for the 3rd BCT, the 1st Cavalry Division purchased this wheat and barley seed because of the humanitarian need for food production here in Iraq. Fall is the time of the year that wheat and barley is planted.
Currently the Ministry of Agriculture has not been able to establish its distribution network or establish it's certified seed dealer network through private individuals.
"Because of this, the decision was made for the military to buy seed through commander's emergency response program funds," Haney said. "Self-production of food in this country is important."
CERP is a program set up by the military to take care of humanitarian needs for the local populaces -- needs that will make a quick and lasting impact on the community.
"That is why the division started purchasing this quantity of wheat and barley seed," Haney said. "Now the farmers can start raising crops once again for local sale and support the food needs of Baghdad."
Although Iraq has a harsh climate it's soil can grow a substantial yield of crops if the irrigation system is working properly.
"Wheat will be a two-cycle plant this time of year," Haney said. "They will plant it now and harvest it about March, April. Then they will follow it in with another crop, usually lentils or sometimes, if they want, peanuts or corn."
This seed does come with an important warning however. It's not good for livestock feed or being ground into flour. Because its certified seed, it has been treated with a water-soluble fungicide that prevents molding during storage and handling so the seed will stay a good and potent.
"Almost all certified seed throughout the world is treated," Haney said. "Since it has been treated with fungicide, it is unfit for consumption by humans or livestock.
If the seed is used for human consumption or feed instead of planting, it will cause neurological damage.
The military has informed the farmers of this through both handouts and announcements made in Arabic.
"When we give them the seed," Haney said. "They have to sign a statement written in Arabic and English saying that they know it's treated seed and can be dangerous."
3rd BCT area has only 3 percent of the tillable land in the 1st Cavalry Division's sector they have received the smallest allotment of seed bought by the division.
| Date Taken: | 11.01.2004 |
| Date Posted: | 11.01.2004 12:15 |
| Story ID: | 555 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 33 |
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