Plastic houses to grow veggies in Diwaniya

DIWANIYA / IraqiNews.com: The governor of Diwaniya on Thursday inaugurated a plastic houses project, which aims at growing vegetables and achieving self-sufficiency in the province. “The project, based in al-Furat neighborhood (5 km north of Diwaniya city), is the first of its kind in Diwaniya, which is known for its fertile land and abundant water resources,” the head of the local agricultural department, Saleh al-Mousawi, told IraqiNews.com. The project included the installation of 30 plastic houses that will be used to grow tomatoes, eggplants, cucumber and other climbing plants. Diwaniya, a Shiite province, lies 180 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. In 2002, the population of Diwaniya was estimated at 420,000. The area around the province, which is well irrigated from the nearby Euphrates River, is often considered to be one of the most fertile parts of Iraq, and is heavily cultivated. The town is located on the main rail transport corridor between Baghdad and Basra. For birdwatchers, Diwaniya is a city with a rich bird list, as it has a wide range of biodiversity. SS (P) 1