With UN Support, 200 Dunums of Olive and Pistachio Trees Planted in Anbar’s Haditha Oasis

Anbar – INA

The Ministry of Agriculture announced on Sunday the launch of a project to cultivate 200 dunums of olive and pistachio trees in Haditha Oasis, Anbar province, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Sami Hussein Ali, Director of the Desert Oasis Project in Anbar, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that, under the directives of Agriculture Minister Abbas Jabr Al-Maliki and the supervision of Bassam Kanaan Abdul-Jabbar, Director General of the Forestry and Desertification Department, the ministry has initiated the rehabilitation of Haditha Oasis (55) — one of the project’s key sites in the Haditha district.

The oasis, located to the west of Haditha along the main road, covers an area of 200 dunums.

“The rehabilitation includes planting high-oil-yield olive trees and Aleppo pistachios across the entire 200 dunums,” Ali explained. “Additionally, the project will see the construction of a new departmental building and the installation of two solar power systems with a combined 37-kilowatt capacity.”

He further noted that the project will also focus on rehabilitating two wells, each with a 30-horsepower capacity, as well as implementing a drip irrigation system across the entire area. A 2-kilometer electricity line will be extended, and the initiative is expected to create employment opportunities for dozens of low-income men and women.