Meet Azad Muhamad, the celebrity gardener of Iraqi Kurdistan

When The New Arab first arrived at Azad’s farm close to Halabja, he was deep in dialog with native blacksmiths to assist assemble a brand new construction for his beloved fruit bushes. 

But as Azad would later inform us, these aren’t simply any regular fruit bushes, however reasonably a “image of delight for the Kurdish nation.”

The 50-year-old gardener has devoted 35 years to exploring new progressive strategies to backyard, and has been revered each regionally and internationally for his achievements; essentially the most notable of which has been a tree which has been grafted 81 occasions. 

However life hasn’t at all times been so rosy. Azad was one of many lucky survivors of the Halabja chemical assault by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain in 1988, through which greater than 5000 individuals have been killed, and tens of hundreds have been both wounded or displaced. Nonetheless, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the Kurdish spirit endures. 

“In accordance with the United Nations, Iraq is the fifth most weak nation to the local weather disaster. The nation additionally suffers from common droughts, brought on by low rainfall and the constructing of dams by neighbouring international locations Iraq and Turkey”

When one first enters Azad’s seven-acre orchard, the very first thing you discover is a big wall of certificates, agricultural merchandise and letters of appreciation from his followers, main onto a classroom which Azad makes use of to lecture newly graduated agriculture college students. 

“This farm is a public college for the longer term prosperity of the Kurdish nation”, Azad informed The New Arab. “I’ve acquired accreditation and congratulations from so far as Japan, France, the UK, Italy and Sweden. I’ve travelled each to Japan and France to unfold my information on the again of my achievements.”

One in every of Azad’s latest pursuits is testing whether or not a cancerous tree can infect others, through the method of connection. This experiment has induced worldwide curiosity.

“The French consul in Erbil has toured my farm and has since granted me a year-long visa to current the findings of my experiment. A few of my tasks take 5 years to finish, such is the character of the duty,” Azad proudly knowledgeable The New Arab.

Time is of the essence, nevertheless. In accordance with the United Nations, Iraq is the fifth most weak nation to the local weather disaster. The nation additionally suffers from common droughts, brought on by low rainfall and the constructing of dams by neighbouring international locations Iraq and Turkey.

Prior to now few weeks, Iraq has witnessed weekly sandstorms, the worst in residing reminiscence. Azad hopes that his progressive strategies of farming will go a way to assist mitigate these current threats.

“My most important innovation to this point, for my part, is the cultivation of rice via a circulatory water system that defies drought,” he mentioned, “I water the rice for half an hour each 24 years, reusing the identical water in a cyclical method. This has not solely been a profitable experiment, however I discovered that the dimensions of my crops has doubled. Now, our farmers don’t have any extra excuses to not develop rice.”

Moreover, for the primary time in Iraq, Azad has grown turmeric efficiently. “Rising turmeric is one other one in all my vital duties. I name upon our farmers and authorities to allow us to develop this plant and export it to different international locations,” Azad mentioned.

However it could appear that the Kurdish authorities aren’t forthcoming. To not be deterred, Azad has grown his Fb to over 500,000 followers, and makes use of his platform to advocate for higher technique of farming and as an tutorial outlet for potential farmers all over the world by educating them the way to deal with their vegetation, bushes and farms. 

“With the droughts getting worse, my social media posts are more and more vital. The one resolution I’ve since discovered is to attenuate the space between bushes, thus needing much less water to irrigate our farms. We should always use our bushes as an umbrella to guard the soil from drying. 

A number of years in the past, the KRG Ministry of Agriculture and Water Sources banned all farmers and villagers from digging deep wells, because the Kurdish authorities claimed that the reservoir of groundwater has decreased.  In doing so, many farmers have been compelled to go away their farms to stay within the cities. Azad mentioned the KRG coverage, which is supposed to protect the underground water, is flawed.

“I’ve at all times mentioned that if the KRG [Kurdish Regional Government] doesn’t permit farmers from digging deep wells, our lands can be destroyed and can result in setbacks that will take over a century to repair. When water springs go dry, the federal government’s refusal to permit villagers from digging wells will massively affect meals safety and our soil will turn out to be a desert.” Azad passionately informed The New Arab. 

Azad argued that by digging extra deep wells groundwater won’t be lowered, however reasonably the other. “If the floor of our lands have been moist and moisturized we would wish much less water for irrigation. But when we misplaced our vegetation and the soil grew to become dry, then the groundwater would even go deeper.” 

However Azad continues to be content material together with his work to assist the following technology. “No matter I’ve performed was not for the needs of cash and posts, I’m simply serving my homeland. I’ve promised Allah to dedicate what I do to him, I solely desire a reward from God on the Day of Judgment. ” 

He’s engaged on a number of agricultural crops. “I’ve grown six forms of rice, 15 sorts of tomatoes, 27 forms of pumpkins, and different merchandise.”

Azad argued that by digging extra deep wells groundwater won’t be lowered, however reasonably the other. “If the floor of our lands have been moist and moisturized we would wish much less water for irrigation. But when we misplaced our vegetation and the soil grew to become dry, then the groundwater would even go deeper.” 

However Azad continues to be content material together with his work to assist the following technology. “No matter I’ve performed was not for the needs of cash and posts, I’m simply serving my homeland. I’ve promised Allah to dedicate what I do to him, I solely desire a reward from God on the Day of Judgment. ” 

He’s engaged on a number of agricultural crops. “I’ve grown six forms of rice, 15 sorts of tomatoes, 27 forms of pumpkins, and different merchandise.”

He concluded that though the Kurdistan area and Iraq have essentially the most fertilized soil on the planet, agriculture in Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan area is dealing with annihilation due the shortage of planning by the authorities, and since native merchandise can’t compete with imported meals from Iran and Turkey.   

“If the authorities can’t discover markets for the native merchandise, they will set up agricultural industries in order that we would rely on ourselves, and create jobs for younger graduates of agricultural schools. Allow us to not solely rely on the earnings from promoting oil, allow us to return to agriculture that our forefathers have been doing because the daybreak of time.”  

Dana Taib Menmy is an investigative freelance journalist from the Iraqi Kurdistan area writing on problems with politics, society, human rights, safety, and minorities. His work has appeared in Al-Monitor, Al Jazeera English, Center East Eye, The Nationwide, amongst many different retailers.

Comply with him on Twitter: @danataibmenmy