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For Jiff Jaffa farmers, democracy and fertilizer go hand in hand

Mimicking other recent success stories in Babil province, on Sunday farmers from the city of Jiff Jaffa held elections for their Agricultural Union board at a primary school in town.

The election comes as a further demonstration of the concepts of democratic governance taking root around the country, this time with a commercial twist. Seven members were elected to lead the union into the future and help farmers earn profits they haven't seen for years.

"This is the beginning of something better for us and our region," a local resident remarked. "The Americans have showed us the way to help ourselves - and for that, we are forever thankful."

A staggering 483 people voted from the small community, choosing among 11 candidates representing different tribes in the area. The candidate with the highest vote total was named the director of the union, with the roles of assistant director, treasurer and secretary going to the next three highest vote-getters.

The chance to vote is still new to us," said Awwan, a local farmer. "It is exciting to pick the people we feel will lead us in the right direction."

The agricultural unions are designed to help farmers to buy seed, tools, insecticides and other items at subsidized prices, thus earning profits beyond what they have in the past. The farmers also have the ability to reach out to each other for machinery and equipment.

In the past the union was run by the Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein. Operations at that time were handled by the Ministry of Agriculture, sometimes leaving smaller farmers out in the cold, catering instead to the farms that would help stock markets in Baghdad, Awwan said. After the fall of the regime, the unions closed.

Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, said they saw the restoration of Jiff Jaffa union as a way of getting local farmers back on their feet and able to conduct business for themselves. Agriculture is the principal livelihood in the region; a majority of the area residents depend on it to keep their families fed and clothed.

Having already established profit-making unions in the towns of Muelha and Diyara, the Soldiers coordinated the efforts in Jiff Jaffa, provided security for the elections and ensured the voting process was handled professionally. A representative from the Ministry of Agriculture was on hand to verify the results and issue the union its license to operate.

"Even though there were winners and losers in the election, there were no losers in Jiff Jaffa today," said Capt. Colin Brooks, a unit commander. "Everybody won today. Democracy was in action, which is always a good thing."

The Soldiers donated bags of fertilizer and other consumables to the union so the farmers had something to work with - "start-up cash" as Brooks described it. It is now up to those elected to set the prices for the farmers to buy their items and get things rolling at the union. Brooks said he will help the new officials get rolling, but in the very near future the success or failure of the union would be up to them.

"I am excited to get to work," said Hamdi, one of the elected board members. "A friend of mine has seen how much good the union has done for his people in Muelha, and now Jiff Jaffa will begin to reap the same benefits."
Source: Multi-National Force-Iraq