الاستاذ ممتاز عارف

The Establishment of the first College of Agriculture in Iraq
The Editorial Board of the 1952 Modern Farmers Yearbook, College of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Abu Ghraib, published in the yearbook a message from Mr. Mumtaz Arif, The first dean of the newly established collage of Agriculture. The Dean’s message is as follows:
We need for our present revival, a report that shows a known plan, and a sound scientific policy based on an in – depth study which will ensure an arrival at our goal, without lost efforts. Iam pleased to express my feelings for the fine start and the appropriate steps initiated by our responsible officials, for the establishment of the College of Agriculture in the summer of 1952.
The establishment of this college at this period in which Agricultural Education becomes an urgent necessity comes in front of the requirements for an Agricultural Revolution.
This clearly indicates our movement toward scientific policy to reach our goal. Civilization at all historical eras was built upon science.
Science alone is the means for raising people’s standards. Before anything else, our present revival demands the utilization of our county’s natural resources and benefits from its treasures and great agricultural resources. Since agriculture, at present, is a profession that depends for its success upon science and the results of research, the collage of agriculture is the basic foundation for development, and it will be the guiding light for the researchers and officials in solving agricultural problems. It elevates the production levels, solve problems and expands their expectation, which have limited the farmers energies.
The College of Agriculture will fulfill its message by serving agriculture and farmers with 3 weapons which are:
Agricultural education.
Scientific research.
Social services and extension.
When the a above elements are fulfilled and directed toward the heart of ignorance , and to the fearful prisonment (fortress) of ignorance in our agricultural regions, then there will be no doubt that our national economy will be strong and well-directed because the farmer is the productive element that forms the great part of our national wealth. For as much as modern science reaches the farmers, our national economy becomes strong.
With this plan, and toward this goal, this blessed Institute must proceed so that the Iraqi country-side will bloom through the efforts of its graduates. Also, it will become, in the near future, the sacred stone of the agricultural people, and a center of its community, including tens of educated young men, serving agricultural education and scientific research.
Note: Because of the importance of Mumtaz Aref speech, Prof.Abdulla and Jacki Al-Azzawi translate it in to English language.