By John Lee.
A new agricultural facility in Dohuk is enabling refugee, displaced and host community farmers in Iraq's Kurdistan Region to sell directly to formal retailers for the first time, with early results showing produce selling out within 24 hours and farmers earning up to 48% more per kilogram than through traditional wholesale channels.
The Faida Aggregation Hub, built by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2025 with support from the United States, opened on 7 October 2025. At the hub, produce is sorted, graded, washed, professionally packaged and held in cold storage to standards agreed with buyers in advance. Post-harvest losses have fallen as a result.
The hub's first commercial transaction saw 1.5 tonnes of potatoes delivered to Carrefour's store in Dohuk, selling out within 24 hours. Three additional tonnes were subsequently ordered and sold equally quickly.
"This level of potato quality is rarely found in the market, washed and professionally packed. The three tonnes delivered last week sold out within 24 hours, and customers are already requesting the same product with the same quality standards," the Carrefour Dohuk team said.
Farmers also receive training in post-harvest handling and basic business skills, along with access to real-time market pricing.
The hub forms part of the JOBS project (Jobs and Entrepreneurship Opportunities to Build Sustainable Inclusive Development), implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) with financial support from the European Union, in collaboration with the Dohuk Directorate of Agriculture and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
(Source: UN)
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