The “Demsal Project” is the most concrete form of women’s labor in agriculture. In the beginning, four women worked on the project but now the number of women working on the project is 70.
The Economy Committee of Kongra Star started the “Demsal (Season) Project” to increase women’s participation in agriculture. As part of the project, 70 women cultivate 24 acres of agricultural area. They are also responsible for 64 greenhouses. Women plant vegetables and collect and sell them. The aim of the project is to meet the needs of the region as well as to create an alternative to external inflation. We spoke to women working on the project.
The project was started in 2014
The project was developed and started by the Economy Committee of Kongra Star in 2014. The name of the project was chosen as Demsal (Season) because vegetables can be planted in four seasons. The project was first carried out in the town of Tirbespîyê because there are more agricultural opportunities in the town. The women began to realize the project on four acres of agricultural area with the support of agricultural engineers. Opportunities were very limited at that time due to the clashes, siege, and lack of seeds and agricultural materials. In the beginning, only four women worked for the project but now 70 women work for the project. Women plant vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, peppers, and watermelons throughout the four seasons on 24 acres of farmland and in 64 greenhouses. The women have already planted 3,000 fruit trees such as apricot, pomegranate, and olive trees in the town.
“I learn many things thanks to the project”
Cewahir Salih has worked on the project for several years. “We have planted all kinds of green vegetables. Spending my life in nature feels good. As project managers, engineers and employees, we work collectively. I have learned many things about vegetables and herbs; I have learned how to make herbal remedies. In the beginning, we faced many challenges but now we meet the needs of our society. We act according to agricultural planning. As women, we work here and get vegetables for our families,” Cewahir Salih told us.
“We love soil”
İda El-Salim has worked on the project for about six years. “Thanks to this project, I learned how to do agriculture, how to plant vegetables. The more the people are interested in the soil, the more productive they get from the soil. As women working on the project, we are interested in the soil and we love soil. We plant vegetables, then collect and sell them. Now, we are planting summer vegetables. It didn’t rain much this year. This led us to develop new methods for irrigation. We believe that this project will be successful and we want such projects to increase in our region.”
