Syrian horticulture project puts down roots in Offaly

A horticulture project run by refugees in Portlaoise is expanding into Offaly. 

Radwan Abouhajar and Mohammad Kadour set up the Syrian Gardening Project at the National Learning Centre in Portlaoise, Co Laois earlier this year, and have been growing native Syrian produce for distribution among the local community. 
The project has been so successful that plans are underway to establish similar projects in Offaly – one in Tullamore, where Mr Abouhajar works, and another in Birr. 
Plans are at an advanced stage in Tullamore, where a site has been secured at the Community Training Centre in Kilcruttin Business Park. A frame has been put in place for a polytunnel, with the cover expected to arrive in the coming weeks. 
“We are just waiting for the cover, as we need certain conditions to start to grow the vegetables. We have the seeds ready, all from Syria, and we are hoping we can start to grow vegetables early next month. We will have our first food in October or November this year. People are very excited and looking forward to it,” Mr Abouhajar told the Offaly Independent. 
“We have one polytunnel because we only have space for one, but hopefully we will find another place with support from Offaly County Council or other groups,” he said.
In Birr, a suitable site has been identified at a local school, and negotiations are underway to set up a similar project very soon. 
Mr Abouhajar is an agricultural engineer by trade, while Mr Kadour was a farmer in Syria, and the combination of their technical know-how with practical expertise have helped to make the Portlaoise-based project a huge success. RTÉ News did a special report on the project earlier this week, to coincide with World Refugee Day on June 20. 
Having lived in Ireland since December 2014, Mr Abouhajar currently works as a settlement support worker with the Offaly Local Development Company in Tullamore. There are eight Syrian families living in Tullamore, and he says the horticulture project will offer them “a taste of home, a taste of Syria”. 
He also views it as a way to give back to the local community in Ireland, in recognition for the help and support he and others have received since coming to the country. 
“It helps people to feel they are contributing and adding to the community. People have helped us with so many things. Everyone has been trying to help – that is my experience of Ireland.
“We will be inviting other groups in the community to come and get involved. We organised a Syrian breakfast last week at Arden View [Community and Family Resource Centre] in Tullamore with the Men's Shed, so hopefully they can be involved in this too.”