Decisions to Improve Agriculture, Water Resources and Livestock in Rojava

This is a translation of an Arabic article that appeared on Hawar News on 25 September, 2018

Important decisions followed the annual meeting of The General Administration of Agriculture and Livestock in Qamishlo.

The meeting was held on 12 September 2018 in the village of Himo. A big banner was hung in the meeting which read, Agriculture is the reason for the existence of society. The meeting went on for two days, and was attended by many members of the General Administration.

Many members presented their proposals and discussed agriculture in the Jazeera region, and a plan for an internal system [set of working guidelines] was set up and approved by the General Administration.

Decisions about the management of natural reserves:

  • A plan to plant 30,000 fruit trees.

Decisions about the management of water resources:

  • Move toward modern irrigation systems, and make future plans and projects to help the farmers and agricultural co-operatives by fixing the wells, dams and aqueducts. There are about 82 wells in total, and 26 wells that support the aqueducts that carries water from the Jel Agha dam.

Decisions about the protection of plantations:

  • Organise the Plantation Protection Department, and make it more efficient by hiring experts and making a list of important agricultural medicines, the quantity and price, and securing them by establishing a central laboratory for medicines.
  • Make an agricultural chamber on borders and set up a department to watch and track medicines.

Decisions about plant propagation:

  • Propagate plants and seeds sustainable and responsibly, and hire agricultural experts.
  • Make sure not to lend seeds, and make quick and appropriate plans to support farmers.
  • Get modern high-standard sieves especially for the Institute of Plant Propagation.

Decisions about livestock management:

  • Appoint the Institute of Livestock to find ways to secure and store fodder.
  • Secure a store for vaccines, and hire experts and make plans to manufacture fodder locally.
  • Form a union for farmers who raise livestock.

Decisions about The General Administration of Agriculture and Livestock

  • Make a new plan for the 2018-2019 agricultural season.
  • Work and coordinate with the Department of the Environment to prevent planting on the banks of sewage and contaminated waters.
  • Move towards organic plants and limit the use of chemicals.
  • Represent the Union of Farmers and Animal Husbandry in the agricultural centres.
  • Decide an amount of about 600-700 tons for the production of wheat during the agricultural season of 2018-2019.
  • Organise co-operative societies and co-ordinate with the Union of Co-operatives on a communal basis, and encourage them to work closely together.
  • Co-ordinate with the Asayish forces to stop infringements on agricultural land.
  • Find a good place for the General Administration of Agriculture and Livestock, with all its departments.
  • Co-ordinate between agriculture and trade to give permits to export the surplus of agricultural and livestock products.
  • Form an advisory committee that can make plans and future projects and finds good solutions to problems.
  • Form a central office for statistics.
  • Discuss the situation of manure, and how to manufacture it.