Photo By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky | Farmers load rolls of plastic onto their truck, Dec. 17, at the Al Rasheed Land Owners...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – The fruits of the past month's labor were reaped when the Al Rasheed Land Owners Association took a major step in becoming a self-sufficient entity, Dec. 17, providing for the welfare of the farmers.
The organization was originally formed a few months ago, to help unionize local farmers and allow them to increase their harvests.
During the event, 250 rolls of plastic were distributed, one per farmer.
"They are totally in charge. We are just here to observe," said Capt. Ken Guglielmina, Civil Affairs Team 11, currently attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
The plastic, which will be used to create greenhouses for plants, will help the crops survive the winter cold, Guglielmina said. This will help the farmers increase their income for the year.
Due to the structure of the association, some of that income will help the organization grow, allowing it to aid more farmers.
The association provides the farmers goods such as seeds, plastic and fertilizer at reduced cost to union members, Guglielmina said. The money raised by the union goes into a large communal pot used to purchase more equipment for area farmers available to them from the union at roughly a quarter of the normal market price, he added.
To become a member of the farmers association, local residents must provide the association proof of land ownership. The leadership is comprised of 16 local sheikhs sent by their villages to represent them.
One of the land owners at the day's event, who had nothing but praise for the association, was Mithaq Abed, a local farmer with roughly 21 acres of land.
Abed, whose two brothers are also farmer union members, said the three rolls of plastic the family received at the distribution will allow more of his tomato and eggplant harvest to survive the winter chill.
"I support the union 100 percent," he said, adding that before the inception of the union, he had to go through the black market to obtain supplies to allow his farm to grow.
Now he said the union provides him those goods much cheaper, often times almost free. Such reduction in price only encourages farmers to get involved in the union, Guglielmina said, which now has approximately 1,500 farmers.
The number of farmers has helped the association raise several tens of thousands of dollars, said Sheikh Mohameed Kashkol, Al Rasheed Land Owners Association leader. He said these proceeds are going to be used to buy more products.
One of the products, set for distribution next month, is one Abed said he and other farmers desperately need – water pumps.
In addition to the water pumps, the union is also planning a seed distribution next week.
"I'm glad to see the farmer's union continue to help us and the Iraqi people," Abed said, adding that in time he would like to see the union grow large enough to provide tractors for farmers.
It may be a while until the union grows to that size, but the steady pace has surpassed expectations. To help further encourage and sustain that growth, coalition soldiers provided Kashkol a computer and printer to help monitor and track purchases as well as keep steady accounting records.
"Thank you for all you've given me," Kashkol said, both in terms of equipment and experience at running the association.
Although the Americans are slowly backing away and allowing the association to run their own affairs, Kashkol said he will not forget all the good they have done getting the organization to its current state.
"I appreciate it whenever I see American Soldiers," he said. "I am proud to know they have my back."
| Date Taken: | 12.22.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2007 12:59 |
| Story ID: | 14938 |
| Location: | ISKANDARIYAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 456 |
| Downloads: | 428 |
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