We are waiting for harvest – the end of the first stage of building a greenhouse
We have just finished the first stage of the project of building a greenhouse. Now we are impatiently waiting for the first harvest.
It has been built in Borek on the northern slope of the Sinjar Mountains. It is 52-meters-long and 9-meters-wide. It is practically a foil tunnel based on a steel construction. However, the name is not important. What counts is the result which we will soon see, hopefully.
It was designed by Dhakil, a civil engineer who has undertaken similar, often pioneer initiatives many times.
Thanks to Dakhil, the first house was built for refugees who returned to their hometown in July last year (we are hoping that this year we will manage to build many more such houses). Several months ago he put forward another idea which we instantly liked very much.
Conditions for growing vegetables and fruit are very good in Iraq.
The sun shines practically all year round. Temperatures from our point of view are extreme (in July and August they reach more than 50°C). In the first 2-3 days after arriving in Iraq I always have a problem to adapt to such heat, although I have already been here five times.
The winter is short, although it tends to be unpredictable. The rainfalls can change roads into torrents. But for ten months there are perfect conditions for growing tomatoes, cucumbers, figs, dates and olives. The last ones, in particular, are a real delicacy in northern Iraq. I have never liked olives very much, but now I cannot imagine a day in Iraq without eating at least a small portion.
Vegetables are a basis of the diet for most inhabitants of Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan.
It does not matter if they live in an IDP camp, a little town, a village or a large metropolis. Here vegetables are eaten with every meal. Healthy food is, without doubt, an advantage of this region. That is why we decided that building a greenhouse was a great idea.
Especially that this project will help Murad and his family to earn a living.
And their needs are considerable. Murad has four children, two of whom suffer from thalassemia. It is a blood disorder that manifests itself with anemia, enlarged liver and spleen, and pain in the lower limbs. 2-3 times a month the children need to undergo check-ups, and the costs of transport and a doctor’s visit are high. Growing vegetables and fruit in the Iraqi climate will give them the possibility of earning a living practically all year round.
Now we are waiting for the second stage – the harvest.
The harvest will be different, depending on the season. For sure it will be fully natural and organic. I hope that this idea will develop and more families will receive a chance for making themselves independent from external help. Building a greenhouse is something new for us, but it fits the assumptions we have adopted very well. On-the-spot help in cooperation with local organizations is the best solution. We can only support what would be difficult to achieve without proper financial resources.