Press Release

Nineveh FAO-EU Funded Project Launches Innovative Training Program for Women-Headed Households for Sustainable Development of Small and Medium Rural Dairy Businesses

20 February 2023

Nineveh, Iraq, 16 February 2023 - The Nineveh FAO-EU Funded Project has launched a Farmer Field Day (FFD) program aimed at training women-headed households in the sustainable development of small and medium rural dairy businesses. The program was implemented in Al-Hamdaniya and Bartella for thirty dairy women supported by the project from seven villages in the Tel Kaif district. 

The FFD program links dairy women producers from different regions in the governorate and encourages them to share experiences in improving and developing practices of processing and marketing their cheese and dairy products. The program includes training on dairy handling, processing, and marketing of improved traditional home-processed dairy products, as well as on fodder crops. 

The Nineveh FAO-EU Funded Project is replicating this innovative learning method to all targeted districts to support the sustainable development of small and medium rural dairy businesses. The project has already supported 4000 women with training sessions as well as with dairy equipment for milk handling and processing. The FAO Representative in Iraq, Dr. Salah El Hajj Hassan highlighted that the priorities of the FAO are to seek a real partnership with these groups and empower them to support their families independently, emphasizing the need to activate their role.

FAO’s International Livestock Expert, Dr. Chedly Kayouli said that during the farmers’ field day, the visiting women had the opportunity to meet with three groups of women who have excelled in the production and marketing of high-quality dairy products and in the cultivation of fodder crops. He added, women working in the same field and from rural villages interacted with each other, sharing their experiences, knowledge, skills, and even their challenges. 

Finally, the visiting women led by Om Chaker from Tal-Kif villages concluded that the enthusiasm and the family atmosphere that prevailed during the farmers’ field day was remarkably interesting, as we are working in the same field, we interacted with each other sharing our experiences, knowledge and skills. Mouna from Al-Hukul village (Tal-Kif district) expressed the women’s interest and satisfaction in learning new techniques and practices in milk processing and animal feeding from their peers which was evident. 

Khawla Ben Aicha

Khawla Ben Aicha

FAO
Communications Specialist
khawla.benaicha@fao.org
Salah Elhajjhassan

Salah Elhajjhassan

FAO
Representative
salah.elhajjhassan@fao.org
Mr Hajj Hassan, a national of Lebanon, holds a Ph.D. in Plant Production from the University of Agriculture, Damascus, Syria; a Master of Science degree in Plant Production and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering, both from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
He started his career in 1984, as Senior Research Assistant in the Agricultural Research and Education Centre (AREC), American University of Beirut. From 1987 to 1991, he was Coordinator of the Student Training Programme, and also Agriculture and Horticultural Teacher for the Faculty of Agriculture, at the Lebanese University.
From 1991 to 1995, he worked as Agricultural Engineer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Bekaa Regional Office, Zahlah and was then assigned to the Agricultural Research Institute in the Tal Amara station, first as Head of the Crop Production Department and subsequently in charge of the Plant Protection Laboratory. From 2002 to 2006, he was Director of the Kfardane Research Station (Agricultural Research Institute). In 2008, he became Visiting Scientist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) and Coordinator of a project with the International Centre for Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna.
In 2010, he served as Advisor to the Minister for Agriculture of Lebanon. In 2011, he became President of the Pesticide Scientific Committee, Head of the Phytoplasma Committee and Director of the Agriculture and Rural Development Programme (ARDP) (EU-funded project). From 2010 to 2013, he represented Lebanon in negotiations with EU, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq. During his career, Mr Hajj Hassan also carried out a number of other functions. He represented the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) in several research programmes with the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the American University of Beirut. He was Coordinator of the Mashreq/Maghreb project with ICARDA, representing Lebanon in the Steering Committee, as well as being the Head of the Sugar-beet Delivery and of the Wheat Delivery Committees. For a number of years, Mr Hajj Hassan worked for the preparation of FAO TCP projects and served as the National Director of a TCP project. He joined FAO in January 2014 as FAO Representative in Yemen. Mr Hajj Hassan succeeds Mr El Zubi as FAO Representative in Iraq.

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