Here’s the lastest story from Paul McKellips, US Department of State, Public Affairs GO Team on assignment in Iraq. In this one he talks about Iraq’s re-emerging tomato industry.

Tomatoes are one of the most important crops in both the northern and southern regions of Iraq. Climate and water resources provide favorable conditions for tomato cultivation. Despite these advantages, tomato production has been historically well below international standards. Eighty farmers in Iraq were selected to establish tomato production plots on about half a donum (“donum” is a Turkic word with Latin origins; 1 donum = .61 of an acre) in their fields. Approximately 100,000 seedlings were produced in off-site nurseries and then these 80 farmers were taught how to properly transplant the hybrids. Each farmer received modern cultivation training as well.

Listen to his report: