Thread: Gold and Agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture is Iraq’s largest employer, the second largest value sector, and an effective engine for promoting stability through private sector development, poverty reduction, and food security. The revival of a dynamic, market-driven agricultural sector will strengthen private business, increase income and employment opportunities, and meet the food requirements of the Iraqi people. Since 2003, USAID’s agriculture program has restored veterinary clinics, introduced improved cereal grain varieties, repaired agricultural equipment, and trained farmers and ministry staff.

Food Security. Iraq currently imports almost $3 billion in food commodities annually. USAID programs are helping expand production of wheat, the most costly component of the Public Distribution System food basket, to minimize food imports. Already, efforts on select Iraqi farms have doubled wheat production, from 0.8 metric tons per hectare (MT/ha) to between 1.5 and 2.0 MT/ha. Over 360 crop demonstrations nationwide have introduced farmers to improved production technologies for wheat, barley, rice, and maize.

Private Sector Development. Decades of conflict and mismanagement have resulted in a severe lack of functioning agricultural machinery. USAID programs will repair 20 percent of Iraq's tractor and combine harvester fleet by September 2006. The nationwide program will establish networks of trained technicians to support continued maintenance. Expanded wheat production from repaired equipment alone could easily reach an additional $36 million in revenue in the first year of this continuing program. USDA has also funded a U.S. Feed Grains Council private sector initiative to develop a private Iraqi credit facility for poultry producers for operational expenses and capital improvements.

Poverty Reduction. Development and growth of the agricultural sector, currently employing 25 percent of the Iraqi workforce, will reduce poverty and improve household incomes. USAID supports the development of high value crops like date palms, tomatoes, and olives. In the south, USAID works with impoverished farmers to improve broad-bean production; in the north, vulnerable groups are participating in workshops on beekeeping, a traditionally profitable business. USAID-sponsored date palm nurseries across 13 governorates will produce 410,000 offshoots annually, eventually contributing $40 million to the Iraqi economy annually. Through Department of Defense funds, Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) commanders also support local agricultural projects such as livestock vaccinations.

Livestock improvement programs benefit the poorest sectors of society. USAID is renovating 70 veterinary clinics and providing training across Iraq, benefiting over 180,000 breeders. Fertility treatments will increase water buffalo herds by 20 percent. USAID assisted farmers to expand domestic feed grain production to revitalize the domestic poultry industry, previously a major source of income.

Irrigation. Over half the irrigated area in southern Iraq is affected by water-logging and salinity, diminishing crop production and farmer incomes. USAID and the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) are working to establish an integrated soil-water-crop management approach, including demonstrations illustrating efficient water use. USAID also assists Iraqi ministries in preparing a National Water Strategy to manage water allocation, storage capacity, hydro-dam reservoirs, and flood control.


Finally I find a news article that no one else found first !! LOL

Gloribee

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Infrastructure Development: Rehabilitated irrigation infrastructure reaching 445,000 rural residents (321,000 acres) through small grants.

Market Development: Established a wholesale price information system 15 major urban markets for dissemination to producers and merchants. Developed and strengthened 54 private agriculture-based associations, cooperatives, and NGOs.

Essential Equipment: Distributed 169 see4d cleaners to upgrade seed stock for wheat, making over 31,500 tons of cleaned and treated wheat seed available for planting in 2006-07 season, benefiting 41,000 farm families around the country.

Capacity Development: Introduced 12,600 farmers, public officials, and university staff to technologies for high value cash crops and cereal grains. Trained 800 Iraqi public officials in programs of strategy development, decision-making, and statistical surveys.

Grain Production: Demonstrated a 40 percent average wheat yield increase over traditional methods for farmers that utilized a cost-effective technical package on test plots in three northern governorates. A national seed cleaning program prepared 32,872 metric tons of cleaned and treated wheat seed for planting.

High Value Cash Crops: Planted 43,500 date palm mother plants in 13 orchards in 11 governorates.

Livestock: Reconstructed 58 veterinary clinics responsible for serving 4.2 million animals and 118,500 animal breeders.

TARGETS BY OCTOBER 2006

Infrastructure Development:

Rehabilitate irrigation infrastructure to improve water supply to a total of 618,000 acres, benefiting 900,000 rural residents.

Market Development: Five radio and TV stations broadcast daily market price reports throughout the country.

Capacity Development: Train 200 Ministry of Agriculture extension agents in participatory extension techniques. Repair 5,000 tractors, providing tractor owners with an additional income stream of $15 million from contract work, and train 137 farm machinery mechanics.

Grain Production: Increase production of wheat 25 percent over a 2002 baseline estimate of one metric ton per 2.5 acres.

High Value Cash Crops: Complete infrastructure for Ministry of Agriculture to establish an annual increase in production capacity of 40,000 date palm mother plants.

Gloribee

Originally Posted by Gloribee

Agriculture

Agriculture is Iraq’s largest employer, the second largest value sector, and an effective engine for promoting stability through private sector development, poverty reduction, and food security. The revival of a dynamic, market-driven agricultural sector will strengthen private business, increase income and employment opportunities, and meet the food requirements of the Iraqi people. Since 2003, USAID’s agriculture program has restored veterinary clinics, introduced improved cereal grain varieties, repaired agricultural equipment, and trained farmers and ministry staff.

Food Security. Iraq currently imports almost $3 billion in food commodities annually. USAID programs are helping expand production of wheat, the most costly component of the Public Distribution System food basket, to minimize food imports. Already, efforts on select Iraqi farms have doubled wheat production, from 0.8 metric tons per hectare (MT/ha) to between 1.5 and 2.0 MT/ha. Over 360 crop demonstrations nationwide have introduced farmers to improved production technologies for wheat, barley, rice, and maize.

Private Sector Development. Decades of conflict and mismanagement have resulted in a severe lack of functioning agricultural machinery. USAID programs will repair 20 percent of Iraq's tractor and combine harvester fleet by September 2006. The nationwide program will establish networks of trained technicians to support continued maintenance. Expanded wheat production from repaired equipment alone could easily reach an additional $36 million in revenue in the first year of this continuing program. USDA has also funded a U.S. Feed Grains Council private sector initiative to develop a private Iraqi credit facility for poultry producers for operational expenses and capital improvements.

Poverty Reduction. Development and growth of the agricultural sector, currently employing 25 percent of the Iraqi workforce, will reduce poverty and improve household incomes. USAID supports the development of high value crops like date palms, tomatoes, and olives. In the south, USAID works with impoverished farmers to improve broad-bean production; in the north, vulnerable groups are participating in workshops on beekeeping, a traditionally profitable business. USAID-sponsored date palm nurseries across 13 governorates will produce 410,000 offshoots annually, eventually contributing $40 million to the Iraqi economy annually. Through Department of Defense funds, Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) commanders also support local agricultural projects such as livestock vaccinations.

Livestock improvement programs benefit the poorest sectors of society. USAID is renovating 70 veterinary clinics and providing training across Iraq, benefiting over 180,000 breeders. Fertility treatments will increase water buffalo herds by 20 percent. USAID assisted farmers to expand domestic feed grain production to revitalize the domestic poultry industry, previously a major source of income.

Irrigation. Over half the irrigated area in southern Iraq is affected by water-logging and salinity, diminishing crop production and farmer incomes. USAID and the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) are working to establish an integrated soil-water-crop management approach, including demonstrations illustrating efficient water use. USAID also assists Iraqi ministries in preparing a National Water Strategy to manage water allocation, storage capacity, hydro-dam reservoirs, and flood control.


Finally I find a news article that no one else found first !! LOL

Gloribee

You go, girl. lol Great article.

FACT SHEET:
U.S. Agricultural Programs in Iraq
December 2006

Printer Friendly Version (.pdf)

Agriculture serves as the foundation on which many countries build their economies. The U.S. Government is therefore helping Iraq revitalize its agricultural sector.

Agricultural Trade. USDA efforts in Iraq have helped establish a growing market for U.S. agricultural exports of wheat, rice and poultry. Iraq currently imports almost $3 billion in food annually. Of that amount, U.S. agricultural exports in 2005 totaled $325.6 million. During the period January-October 2006, U.S. agricultural exports to Iraq increased to $339 million compared to $244 million for the same period in 2005—a nearly 39-percent increase in one year. Iraq was the No. 2 buyer of U.S. hard red winter wheat in marketing year 2005-2006. In addition, Iraq was the No. 1 buyer of U.S. long grain milled rice in 2005. In the late 1980s, it was our top market for rice and one of our top 10 wheat export markets.

Trade Capacity Building. The United States supports Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). To help Iraq gain a better understanding of U.S. trade policy and the WTO, USDA expects to place an agricultural advisor in Baghdad to work with the Iraqi Government on agricultural policy issues. In July 2005, the United States and Iraq signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement to promote bilateral trade and investment. Prior to that, a large Iraqi delegation, including representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Trade and Investment, attended a WTO orientation workshop in Washington, DC, in November 2004. These efforts are coupled with ongoing activities by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other U.S. Government agencies, all of which are aimed at accelerating Iraq’s WTO accession so that it becomes integrated into regional and global markets.

Development. USDA’s Cochran Fellowship Program in Iraq resumed for the first time since 1990 in December 2004. Thirteen individuals participated in agricultural education and extension training in the United States in 2005. Up to 15 Cochran Fellows are expected to participate in the program in 2007. This program provides short-term, market-oriented agricultural training to help countries develop market-driven food systems.

Technical Assistance. In January 2007, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is sponsoring an Iraqi Government scientist’s training in epidemiological Avian Influenza (AI) at its office in Cairo, Egypt. Another Iraqi Government scientist will visit APHIS’ key epidemiology center in Fort Collins, Colorado, in March 2007. In August 2006, USDA and the U.S. military organized a regional AI workshop in northern Iraq, which was attended by 15 Iraqi Government veterinarians. In May 2006, two Iraqi scientists attended training on diagnostic testing for highly pathogenic AI at USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. This training is a joint effort of Iowa State University and USDA. As part of the training, U.S. diagnostic experts will travel to Iraq to observe and provide feedback on the implementation of what was learned.

Revitalization. By providing aid and assistance, the U.S. Government is helping Iraq revitalize its agricultural sector so it can become an engine for economic growth and strengthen U.S. market share.

In December 2006, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced that a team of U.S. universities, led by Texas A&M, will receive $5.3 million to strengthen agricultural extension and training at Iraqi universities. The Iraq Agricultural Extension Revitalization Project will provide training programs for Iraqi nationals to enhance the management, production and marketing related to small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises. Arid crop production development, livestock production and animal health and water resources management and irrigation technology will be addressed. Activities will include training of extension specialists; long-term degree training; development of distance learning methods and instructional materials for train-the-trainer extension programs; and field trials, demonstration plots and lab methods for adoption by Iraqi farmers.

On June 30, 2005, USDA signed a $10.8 million Food for Progress food aid agreement with the U.S. Grains Council under which USDA provided Iraq with 21,250 tons of corn and 8,750 tons of soybean meal. Commodities were delivered and sold in Iraq in early 2006. The Grains Council is using the proceeds from the sales to revitalize the country’s poultry sector.

USAID conducted a variety of agricultural production, infrastructure and machinery and capacity building projects through the Agriculture Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI). This program ended in October 2006. A new program, INMA, is scheduled to continue USAID’s efforts in this area in spring 2007.

Advisors. Currently, six USDA employees are in Iraq to support the country’s reconstruction. Two U.S. agricultural officers from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service are posted at the American Embassy in Baghdad, starting in July 2004. Two employees of USDA’s Rural Business Cooperative Service are serving as agricultural development officers on Provincial Reconstruction Teams. These employees are serving one-year details assisting Iraq provincial government officials in developing the agricultural sector. One extension advisor from the Natural Resources Conservation Service is assigned to the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture to build its capacity in agricultural extension, agricultural strategic planning and food safety and inspection. Two other USDA agriculture advisors are expected to be on duty at the Ministry of Agriculture soon. A USDA public affairs specialist is part of the U.S. Embassy’s public affairs team.

Sure, now I get the news articles...LOL
Gloribee

In the south, USAID works with impoverished farmers to improve broad-bean production; in the north, vulnerable groups are participating in workshops on beekeeping, a traditionally profitable business


Here its been happening right before our eyes and we never noticed. While a RV may not be directly tied to Agriculture or gold reserves, it will in effect show the world they can and are self sufficient.

Nigeria is profitable, but due to corruption, they cannot even feed there people.

I sense a BIG FAT RV people, and real soon!!!!!!!!!

Gloribee