Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20081003-04
Oct. 3, 2008

Team Borlaug concludes Wasit assessment

By Sgt. Daniel T. Wes
Multi-National Division – Center

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq – Team Borlaug concluded its agricultural assessment of Wasit province by presenting its findings and offering advice for the way ahead to the governor and provincial agricultural leaders in al Kut Sept. 29.
 
Team Borlaug compiled the report from three weeks of visiting agricultural enterprises around Wasit, speaking with the people of the province and gauging the strengths and weaknesses of the industry.
 
The reception to the report was the best of all four provinces they previously visited, said Blaze Currie, Team Borlaug member.
 
“Their assessment was so accurate, it almost seems as though Iraqis did it, not Americans,” said one Iraqi scientist after the presentation.
 
The accuracy of the report was primarily due to the remarkable hospitality shown by the Iraqis they visited in the course of their assessment, said Currie.
 
“They welcomed us with open arms,” he said.
 
One of the strengths in agriculture specific to Wasit, is the link between the wheat seed industry, farming and cleaning, and quality testing.
 
Curry pointed to a farm they visited Sept. 25 as an example of the link.
 
“We visited the seed testing facility, and it was good,” he said.  “Then, we visited the seed cleaning facility, and it was a good operation.
 
“When we were able to visit the farmer, and make the third link in the chain, we could confirm the effectiveness of the chain,” he added.  “We call the process ‘triangulation.’  When we can see something working three times, that verifies it’s a good model.”
 
The same model may be used for other commodities in the future, he added.
 
To improve the state of Wasit agriculture, the leadership needs to detect the key locations, identifying their strengths and building on them.
 
“One key issue is water,” Curry said. “They need to work on irrigation projects, lining canals and upgrading pump stations.
 
“It’s a problem of efficiency,” he said “They are losing 50 percent of the water from their canals.  They are in a drought, so they must be able to make use of what they have. Water is essential for Wasit agriculture to thrive.”
 
The governor and the provincial agricultural leaders are scheduled to discuss the issues and create resolutions to address them following the Eid al Fitr feasts.
 
Team Borlaug is scheduled to conclude their agricultural assessment of the provinces in Multinational Division-Center at the end of November, and will begin compiling the data for their final report at the beginning of December.
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