Kurdish-Iraqi farmer becomes social-media star - in pictures

Azad Muhamad has almost 500,000 Facebook followers

Kurdish-Iraqi farmer Azad Muhamad has become a social media star by sharing tips on growing fresh fruit and vegetables in the sun-parched country. All photos: AFP

Mr Muhamad, 50, has almost 500,000 Facebook followers and posts weekly videos on topics such as protecting fruit trees and dealing with pests at his farm near Halabja.

'They should make you agriculture minister,' one of his fans, Ahmed Hassan, commented on a recent video.

Muhamad uses his popular online platform to raise awareness of protecting the environment and the need to support local farmers, in his native Kurdistan and beyond.

'Developed-country farmers have government support and harvesting machines,' he said.

Iraqi-Kurdish farmer Hamid Ismail Abdulrahman, 47, is also a farmer in Halabja.

He said low water levels in wells had affected agricultural development.

Mr Abdulrahman said climate change had greatly affected farming throughout the country but 'southern Iraq has the lion's share of this impact, while in the north the effect is less'.

More from The National:

Palestinian farmer's hopes to expand peacock farm – in pictures

Giraffes and parrots among one million species 'at threat of extinction'

EgyptAir opens direct Tripoli-Sharm El Sheikh route to promote tourism

The story behind ... why Dubai's Burj Al Arab isn't really a seven-star hotel

Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 to be crowned on August 26