Sustainable agriculture: Greenhouse farming in Kurdistan – Iraq

The Kurdistan region has a diverse climate and topography offering both challenges and opportunities for agriculture development. However, recent waves of climate change including water scarcity have greatly affected the region and especially the agricultural sector making farmers think of alternative ways of farming that require less water usage. Greenhouse farming is new to the region, first introduced in 2008, and has been rapidly increasing since then (+15% yearly). Another reason for increasing greenhouses is that they require a small land comparing to traditional farming. Greenhouses also allow the farmers to diversify their crops on this small plot of land unlike open fields, and the diversification results in high-quality crops thanks to the ideal conditions inside the greenhouses. However, the challenge for the farmers is the lack of support and training to increase their knowledge and experience in planting inside the greenhouses.

Since 2020 AVSI staff in Iraq has begun implementing greenhouses in the region, specifically in the Duhok Governorate. The success of this intervention encouraged AVSI to expand into greenhouse farming and started implementing 120 greenhouses for 180 farmers over a two-year period as part of the ASET project funded by the humanitarian bureau of the US State Department (The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). The farmers were also supported with technical training to help them improve their greenhouse farming skills and were given seeds and fertilizers to boost the quality of their crops.

Nishtiman (from the host community), Basima and Afia (internally displaced people IDPs) are among the farmers involved, they partnered and received two greenhouses with inputs (including 1500 cucumber seeds, 1300 eggplant seeds, and 260 pepper seeds) and essential training. Now they are harvesting weekly around 750 kilos of cucumber and 900 kilos of eggplant “Unlike traditional farming, now we have products in different seasons of the year leading to secure our profits” stated Nishtiman.

Nishtiman, Basima, and Afia are just one example out of many people who have gained skills and achieved financial stability by participating in the program

The establishment of greenhouses can stimulate the economy by creating jobs and increasing agricultural productivity which will lead to the development of related industries, such as packaging, transportation, and marketing, further boosting the regional economy.

Initiatives like ASET help individuals rebuild their lives and contribute to community development by offering resources, training, and opportunities for entrepreneurship. This fosters economic growth, social cohesion, and long-term stability.