Photo By Michael Molinaro | FOB KALSU, Iraq – An Iraqi citizen registers to vote during the Jiff Jaffa...... read more read more
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by Cpl. Michael Molinaro
2nd BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.
FOB KALSU, Iraq – Mimicking other recent success stories in the Babil province, farmers from Jiff Jaffa held Agricultural Union board elections Sunday at a primary school in town.
Seven members were elected to lead the union into the future and help farmers earn profits they haven't seen for years.
"This is the beginning of something better for us and our region," a local resident remarked. "The Americans have showed us the way to help ourselves – and for that, we are forever thankful."
A staggering 483 people voted from the small community, choosing between 11 candidates representing different tribes in the area. The candidate with the highest vote total was named the director of the union, and the next three highest vote-getters were named assistant director, treasurer and secretary.
"The chance to vote is still new to us," said Awwan, a local resident. "It is exciting to pick the people we feel will lead us in the right direction."
The agricultural unions are designed to help farmers to buy seed, tools, insecticides and other items at subsidized prices and earn profits previously not seen before. They also have the ability to resource each other for machinery and equipment.
The union was run by the Iraqi government during the Saddam regime. Operations were handled by the Ministry of Agriculture, sometimes leaving the smaller individual farmer's needs out in the cold as they tended to cater to those that would help stock markets in Baghdad, Awwan said. After the fall of the regime, the unions closed.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, said they saw the union as a way of getting the farmers back on their feet and being able to conduct business for themselves. Agriculture is the primary means of business in the region and a majority of people depend on it to keep their families fed and clothed.
Having already established profit-making unions in Muelha and Diyara, the Soldiers from 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Regt., coordinated the efforts in Jiff Jaffa, provided security for the elections and ensured the election process was handled efficiently and professionally. A representative from the MOA was on hand to verify the results and issue the union its license to operate.
"Even though there were winners and losers in the election, there were no losers in Jiff Jaffa today," said Capt. Colin Brooks, commander, Company B, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Regt. "Everybody won today. Democracy was in action, which is always a good thing."
Soldiers from 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Regt., donated bags of fertilizer and other consumables to the union so the farmers had something to work with – "start-up cash" – as Brooks described it. It is now up to those elected to set the prices for the farmers to buy their items and get things rolling at the union. Brooks said he will help the union get on its feet; but in the very near future, the union will be run by those elected, and the success or failure of the union would be up to them.
"I am excited to get to work," said Hamdi, one of the elected board members. "A friend of mine has seen how much good the union has done for his people in Meulha, and now Jiff Jaffa will begin to reap the same benefits."
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 09.11.2006 10:06 |
| Story ID: | 7691 |
| Location: | ISKANDARIYAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 185 |
| Downloads: | 151 |
This work, Jiff Jaffa farmers line up to cast votes, by Michael Molinaro, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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