The document summarizes how Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) and extension services helped develop the dairy industry in Kirkuk, Iraq. Specifically, the Kirkuk PRT's Economics/Agriculture Section worked to establish small, locally-operated dairy processors to produce sanitary milk products that could compete with imports. This created jobs and supported economic development goals. The project trained farmers and veterinarians, but lessons showed greater government involvement was needed. Overall it helped develop the local dairy sector while supporting counterinsurgency objectives of providing employment.

1. ‫دور االرشاد الزراعي وفريق إعادة إعمار المحافظة في دعم ومساعدة صناعة االلبان‬
‫ في كركوك، العراق‬How Extension and Provincial Reconstruction
Me (in middle) with BSB unit coming
back from a mission “outside of wire”
Teams (PRTs) Helped the Dairy Industry in Kirkuk, Iraq
Rapp, W.R. 1, Apple, K.2, Hickok, B.3, Moore, R.4,Nalbantli, A.5 Sheik Izadeen Gazi (middle) with PRT
members and farm workers
1. Livestock Specialist/County Program Director, University of Missouri Extension, Fayette, MO, 65248
2. Senior Economic Development Advisor, USAID, Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan
3. Senior Economic Development Section Head (Former), Department of State, Redding, CT, 06896
4. Senior Economic Development Advisor (Former), Department of State, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
5. Economic Assistant, Department of State, Kirkuk, Iraq
Abstract
War torn countries like Iraq suffer from food insecurity and a lack of jobs, contributing to sectarian violence and instability. Provincial Reconstruction Teams
(PRT) based on military bases throughout Iraq were created by several federal departments including USDA, bringing civilian subject matter experts from the
United States into Iraq to support private industry development. Private industry in Iraq is lagging, Kirkuk PRT, based on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Warrior
in Kirkuk, Iraq; tasked the Economics/Agriculture Section with supporting and helping develop the private sector in Kirkuk, Wendy Rapp, Livestock
Specialist/CPD with University of Missouri Extension was a part of this team. This project, sustained the goals of COIN (counter-insurgency) strategy the military
supported to create jobs instead of bombs. COIN was used throughout Iraq by both military and civilians to help bring jobs to Iraqis, the thought being, when
people have jobs and hope for a future, they are much less likely to incite violence. In 2009, the Agriculture/Economics section of Kirkuk PRT focused on
assisting-the private dairy sector in Kirkuk, Iraq. Although Iraqis prefer locally produced dairy products, these products tended to be very unsanitary and much
more expensive than imported dairy products. Kirkuk PRT worked with local Iraqi leaders to help the private dairy industry produce locally made, sanitary dairy
products that could compete with imported products.
Iraq Statistics (Wikipedia, 2012)
Premise of Micro-dairy (MD) Project Inside and out of the
microdairy processors
• Sustain goals of COIN (counter-insurgency)
• Population: 28 to 32 million, 38% < 14 years old
strategy of US military creating employment
• GDP 2011: $108.6 billion opportunities. (Rand, 2012)
• GDP 2011 by sector: agriculture: 9.7%, industry: • Create local milk market for farmers. As most dairy
• 60.5%; services: 29.8% products are currently made from powdered milk.
• GDP per capita 2011: $3,900.00 per family • Create a sanitary/hygienic locally made, fresh
• Literacy Rate: 84.1% males, 64.2% female dairy (cows and sheep milk) product to sell on Iraqi market.
• Incentive for farmers to raise crops besides wheat and barley
• Poverty Rate: 23%
such as; alfalfa and develop “new” technology such as silage.
• Unemployment: between 18 to 25%
• Help women famers and private sector veterinarians
• Currency: Iraqi Dinar: $1.00 US = 1166 IQD
• Start with small project ($450,000 x 4) vs. one multi-million
dollar project (several examples of US Taxpayer projects exist, that failed in Iraq).
Kirkuk Province (Wikipedia, 2012) • Make Iraqis have “skin in game” they provided; water filtration system, generators, labor,
security, fuel, other infrastructure needed for a processing unit, etc.
• Location: 147 miles N of the capital, Baghdad,
• Intensive training program for men and women farmers, engineers, private veterinarians.
52 miles north of Tikrit (Saddam Hussein’s home)
• MD processors potentially could make 3 to 4 tons of cheese, yoghurt and pasteurized milk
• Population: 805,787 when fully operational, which could be sold on local Iraqi markets.
• Ethnic and religious breakdown: Arabs, 25%,
Kurds 41%, Turkomen 17%, Christians and
Lessons Learned and Impact
• Western ideas and culture do not work in Iraq or the Middle East.
other minorities 5%, Sunni 40:Shia 60
• Should have included Gov’t of Iraq officials at beginning of project,
Dairy Production in Iraq as local officials did not have the authority to license MD ( which
was new technology), as a result micro-dairy processors are not
Milk production is approximately 7 to 11 lbs./head/day
licensed. At Sheik Al Shaheen’s site
in Iraq and there are approximately, 1.2 million head of
• Despite set back, 57 private veterinarians were trained and
cattle and water buffalo with 3 to 400,000 of those given new equipment to help farmers be more productive and to
being lactating females. Sheep are milked seasonally, utilize new technology for AI and Estrus Synchronization.
by Kurds and Turkomen, Iraq has about 14 M head of • 22 Kurdish women farmers were trained on better sanitary methods
Left pic: Iraqi milk cow at Sheik Kaleef’s farm.
sheep. Average annual dairy consumption of Iraqis is Right pic: typical dairy ration; straw, bran and of milking and as a result have lower incidences of mastitis in cows
55 l with “liquid milk” comprising 5 l. The dairy some wheat or barley grain. & increased the sanitation of the milk as well.
CIDR placement
industry was destroyed by 30 years of war & the • 28 Arab and Kurdish farmers learned better production practices demonstration with
and as a result have been able to produce more sheep and cows female veterinarians
embargo. According to Iraqi locals, the only sanitary
milk, which can be utilized locally and along with producing yoghurt.
and hygienic dairy products available are now imported
from: Turkey, Syria, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the EU, References:
1. INMA Agribusiness Program Report, Iraq Dairy Industry, Jan. 2008, Retrieved June
etc. Iraqis prefer locally produced dairy products, but 27, 2012, www.inma-iraq.com
Typical village scene, cows tethered 2. Wikipedia, Retrieved June 27, 2012, www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Iraq
those typically are very unsanitary.(USAID/INMA, 2008) in the sun, without access to water 3. Conducting Counterinsurgency Operations: Lessons Learned from Iraq (2003 to
in 125°F heat. 2006), Retrieved, June 27, 2012, www.rand.org
Mr. Nori Al Jabouri’ and I