Recently, Dr Stefan Toepfer, Research Scientist Arthropod Biological Control; Integrated Crop Management Advisor at CABI, was interviewed about the CABI project, known as ‘Strengthening the potato value chain in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’.
Dr Toepfer explained CABI’s role in the public-private partnership to unlock potato sector potential in the region which will ultimately benefit 8,000 smallholder farmers with improved livelihoods. The five-year project will also create over 10,000 jobs including employment for refugees and internally displaced people.
Funded by The Netherlands Enterprise Agency on behalf of The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the project will establish a potato cold storage and processing factory in Duhok province. This way, it will employ 160 workers and be capable of producing 6,000 tons of French fries each year.
Potato cultivation and post-harvest activities are important sources of employment and income in rural areas of the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
Source: blog.cabi.org