ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Rwanga Foundation on Sunday completed an initiative to plant 20,000 Spanish olive saplings in Erbil to promote environmental sustainability, in partnership with the German development agency (GIZ) and the agriculture ministry.
“We concluded the project of planting 20,000 Spanish olive saplings, which our institution, the Rwanga Foundation, undertook in partnership with GIZ and with the support of the German government and the agriculture ministry,” said Hassan Shekh Aladin, Rwanga’s executive director, in a speech at the conclusion event.
In 2023, Rwanga partnered with GIZ to implement development projects that created 250 job opportunities and supported 130 individuals in launching or expanding small businesses.
The second goal of the partnership was to plant 20,000 Spanish olive saplings as part of an environmental sustainability initiative.
“We were able to complete the project within two years,” Aladin said, adding that 11,000 saplings were provided by GIZ.
“To complete the project comprehensively and fully, we had 9,000 saplings remaining. Thanks to the responsibility of the respected Idris Nechirvan Barzani, the other 9,000 saplings were also provided. Now we see that 20,000 olive trees have been planted here,” he stated.
The planted trees can produce over 4 million liters of oxygen daily, enough for 9,000 people, and are expected to yield 120 tons of olive oil and 400 tons of olives annually, with the Spanish variety chosen for its faster two-year production cycle compared to Iraqi trees, according to Aladin.
Agriculture Minister Begard Talabani hailed the project, saying that the trees will bring economic benefits and are also resistant to drought seasons.
“Instead of planting a tree only to give us oxygen and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide, we want to develop those trees that have both economic benefit and can also withstand water scarcity during drought periods,” Talabani said at the event.
Talabani explained that the project was established in a forested area that has served as a green belt for Erbil for over 30 years, expressing hope that, with support from all relevant
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) bodies, the area can be protected and developed as the “lungs of Erbil.”
The Rwanga Foundation is an NGO “that envisages a world where quality education is accessible for all. Its mission is to provide services, build capacities, and design policies to ensure easy access to education for all and improve the overall educational standards in KRI [Kurdistan Region of Iraq], Iraq, and the greater global community,” according to the organization’s website.
