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In Name of God, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful
Republic of Iraq
Ministry of Agriculture
Work Sheet of the Ministry
of Agriculture
The Upgrading of Irrigation
and Agricultural
Sector Conference will be
held by the Iraqi Supreme Committee for Agricultural Initiative
December,
16-17, 2009 Baghdad
Challenges of the
Agricultural Sector in Iraq
1- The low productivity of
the soil.
2- The scarcity of water
for agriculture.
3- The law productivity of
labor and capital and their reasons.
4-Deterioration the
infrastructure of the agricultural sector and the
supporting.
5-Quantitative and
qualitative deterioration of agricultural
wealth.
6- Agricultural
legislations.
7- Farm management, ensure
most important factor
8- Weakness of agricultural
investment.
9- Scientific research and
agricultural extension.
Challenges of the
Agricultural Sector in Iraq
Introduction
The agricultural sector has
many unique specifications represented
by:
* This sector is treating
with creature- animal and plant; both of them need different
periods to reach the age of production. The substitution of dead
plant or animal needs specific time to be
productive.
* The uncertain relation
between agricultural sector and environment circumstances affect
the productivity directly.
* The relation among the
agricultural sector and other Ministries especially Ministry of
Electricity, the Ministry of Oil, the Ministry of Industry, the
Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of
Water Resources, the Ministry Higher Education, the Ministry
Interior Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of
Transportation, as well as the special sector. These relations
have an affect on the activities and production of the Ministry
of Agriculture.
* The agricultural sector
needs a large capital which its development is low when compares
with another sector.
All these factors interfere
and work together to affect the growth and development of the
agricultural sector in a way differs from other sectors.
The most important
challenges of Agricultural sector in Iraq:
First: The low productivity
of the soil: Because of several interfered factors, the most
important of these are:
* Water-logged and saline
soil especially in the middle and south of
Iraq.
* Low agricultural
activities represented by preparation of soil, agricultural
rotation, protection agriculture, pest control, organic
agriculture and Agro-industrial integration.
* Desertification and
increasing of dusty storms.
* Decreasing of rain–fed
agriculture.
* Old agricultural
mechanization.
* The lack of chemical
fertilizers (quantitative & qualitative) as well as organic
fertilizers.
Performances of the
Ministry of Agriculture:
* Devising
salinity–resistant varieties of
wheat.
* The Ministry of
Agriculture has adopted industrial and agricultural projects
through importing of production lines of tomato paste and dates.
* The Ministry adopted a
number of craft industries.
* Implementation of IPM in
rain–fed areas funded by Australian side and in collaboration
with
ICARDA.
* Establish an organic
agriculture center, IPM and using plant extracts as alternatives
to pesticides and activates biological control which adopted the
natural enemies that reduce the need for pesticides and reducing
environmental pollution.
* Establishment of oases,
clay coverage, natural plants and pastoral plants through the
activities of the State Board for Combating
Desertification.
* Spread the modern
irrigation technologies through the national project for modern
irrigation
technologies.
* The State Company for
Agricultural Supplies has adopted exhibiting the production of
world companies of modern agricultural mechanization for sale to
farmers and gets benefit from the loan from small farmers Funds
as well as the Italian loan to provide agricultural equipment
for the State Company for Agricultural Supplies.
* Giving permission to
import chemical fertilizers according to valid measures and
specifications.
Proposed Solutions:
* Reclamation of soil
through an implementation of integrated networks of drainages
starting from the field drains to the main drains and leveling
of soil and leaching it from the salts. All these steps fulfill
through reformation of an independent board connected to
Ministers Council. This board should take on its shoulder the
responsibility of reclamation of soil with all its aspects.
* Expansion of building
small dams in rain fed areas for harvesting water.
* Establish research center
to develop the rate of wheat yield up to 1 ton / donum as a
first stage to take advantage from the results to develop the
productivity of other crops and expand the applied and
scientific research on a level farm.
* Inserting and increasing
short-term growth period crops in cooperation with world
approved institutes.
* Activating the role of
agricultural extension, farm associations and Provincial
councils, the use of agricultural rotations and protected
agriculture.
* Investment alternative
lands through making terraces in undulant, mountains and desert
lands through using the researchable
ground-water.
* Applying the integrated
technical packages as in programmers of national
development.
* Encouraging of the
integration of Agro-industrial production to make use of farm‘s
waste to feed livestock and cattle from the wastes of the
animals to provide organic fertilizer which reduces the need for
chemical fertilizers and protect the environment and
ground-water.
* The optimum use of
intercropping at orchards. Application of spatial agriculture
like planting sesame after wheat or planting wheat after rice.
* Development of vegetation
through the expansion of water harvesting and building small
dams.
* Combating desertification
through the adoption of the recommendations of the committee
which studied the phenomenon of desertification problem
according to Cabinet decision No. (18) for the year 2009 which
approved according to the Council of Minister's decision No. 272
for the year 2009 and putting restrictions to prevent trespass
on natural pastures in order to provide natural pasture for
livestock.
Second: The scarcity of
water for agriculture:
The agriculture sector
is facing a real scarcity of water because of the lack of water
revenues from the neighboring countries and stopped part of
them. Most of Iraqi revenues of water come from outside of Iraqi
border, also because of the global climate changes which
resulted in reduced rain and high temperatures led to stifling
drought. The main results are:
* Contraction of planting
areas on the Euphrates basin, especially the areas of rice
planting.
* Severe contraction in
water revenues in the provinces like Diyala, Missan, Wasit,
Kirkuk Sulaimaniya and Erbil resulted in the death of orchards,
especially in Dyala province.
* Contraction of planted
area at rain-fed areas.
* Rushing of saline water
from the Arab-Gulf into Shatt Al-Arab resulted in loss of
aquatic creatures, especially fish, and palm groves, animal
resources because of saline water.
* Degradation of the
quality of water came to Iraq (the high of salinity rate).
* The loss of an ability to
achieve reclamation of the saline land due to inadequate water
required to leach the soil during the process of reclamation as
well as high salinity.
* The reflection of water
scarcity upon the environmental situation led to contraction of
the marshes and increasing of desertification.
Performances of the
Ministry of Agriculture:
* Dissemination of
intensive farming technologies for rice which achieve
contraction of need of water by 50% and seeds by 20% and
dispensing with weed pesticides accompanied increasing
production by 30% - 40%.
* Making contract with
Republic of Vietnam to buy seeding equipment and distribute them
after their success.
* Encouragement of modern
irrigation technologies and cooperation with the Ministry of
Water Resources to dig artesian wells.
* Work on importation of
crops which resist salinity and drought such as Kencarpn,
Pistachio and Bermuda grass.
Proposed Solutions:
* Intensification the
efforts to reach to permanent solution to solve the problem of
water revenues with neighboring countries (Turkey, Syria and
Iran).
* Dissemination of modern
irrigation technologies (sprinkler and drip) which should be
used in the case of planting new orchards instead of flood
irrigation and imposition of wages for using water.
* Investment of ground
water under the supervision of Ministry of Water Resources, by
using tightened control tools and prevents excessive use which
leads to depletion of water supply, and focus on water extension
as a means of education in this area.
* Lining the existing
channels and study the possibility of changing them into closed
system, especially in the areas of gypsiferous soil and put
emphasis on the implementation of closed irrigation system
(pipes) for new
projects.
* Construction of dams and
regulators to lift the level of water in the south of Iraq and
in down streams which leave the rest of water go to the
drains.
Third: The law productivity
of labor and capital and their
reasons:
* Unemployment and
underemployment.
* Low skills of workers in
the agricultural sector, including graduates of agricultural
colleges and institutes and the specialties supported them .
* The low level of farm
management.
* Small amount of capital
invested in agricultural sector, especially for peasants and
farmers and the lack of specialized agricultural associations.
* The low agricultural
capital and its
feasibility.
Performances of the
Ministry of Agriculture:
* Development of employees
in agricultural sector through involvement of specialized
courses inside and outside
Iraq.
* Coordination with
faculties of agriculture to develop practical and scientific
programs to rise the efficiency of graduates and signing a
cooperation agreement with ministry of higher Education and
Scientific Research in the year of 2009 to exchange experiences
to solve the problem of the agricultural
sector.
* Encourage the farmers to
invest the Iraqi government initiative in agriculture to
establish developing
projects.
* Protection of the local
product by forbidding import of vegetables through the seasons
of abundance of production.
Proposed Solutions:
* Making the development of
a comprehensive rural countryside closer to the city from
all-round social, economic, cultural and health through the
development of domestic industries at the level of family
farming (such as carpets, cloak, domestic food industries,
pottery, furniture industry of the palm leaf …
etc.).
* The development of
agricultural production towards investments the means of
production and achieve the agro-industrial investment in the
countryside.
* Increase the
opportunities of training for the farmers, peasants and working
staffs in agricultural sector within and outside Iraq.
* Raise the scientific
efficiency of agricultural and veterinarians graduates that are
unemployed to rehabilitate them for participation in
agricultural investment.
* Expansion of
dissemination typical farms for farmers and peasants which
applied proper management.
* Intensify television
programs aimed to clarify the successful farm management.
* Continue to work with
specialized loan funds.
* Encourage farmers and
peasants on saving and establish cooperative farm banks.
Fourth: Deterioration the
infrastructure of the agricultural sector and its supporting
sides which present in the following:
* Primitive means of
transports, especially in rural areas.
* Decline the
infrastructure and services in Iraq country side.
* Ineffectiveness of
irrigation and drainage networks as a result of negligence and
lack of maintenance that caused the growth of reeds, papyrus and
occurred deposits.
* Serious weakness in the
post harvest technology (frozen, refrigerated and regular
storage; frozen, refrigerated and regular transports; screening,
grading machines and packaging … etc.).
* The fragility of the
material base for the growth of livestock, fisheries that
presented by feed and veterinarian requirements.
* Decrease the big stations
of cattles.
* Primitive slaughterhouses
and meat production equipments.
* Limited seeds industry.
* Primitive marketing and
trading agricultural product.
* Serious weakness in the
rules of agro-industrial
manufacturing.
Performances of the
Ministry of Agriculture:
* Encourage the investment
of agricultural Initiative for Iraqi Government in holding the
projects at the service of post harvest production.
* The provision of feeds at
subsided prices to livestock breeders which includes bran,
barley, maize and dates.
* Genetic development for
cattles through using the technology of free artificial
insemination.
* Development feed industry
(silage and hay) through the project of using modern irrigation
techniques.
* Establishment a number
of oasis to help livestock breeders in deserts through
provision water for them and their animals by digging wells and
planting with economic trees (date palm, pistachio and olive)
and natural plant to be a source of pasture and increase the
green areas to improve the environment in those areas.
* Dissemination the
techniques of industrial multiplication for carp fish with
reference to success of brown fish multiplication and release
fingerlings fish free of charge especially into the marshes for
the development of fisheries.
* Spreading fish breeding
cages and promotion for investment in this field.
* Entering fish breeding
technology in closed system.
* Spreading many hatcheries
in the majority of important aquatic surfaces in Iraq.
* Entering fish
multiplication technology according to the china
system.
* Presentation the project
of fishing harbor in Basra for investment.
* Making epidemic
vaccination of certain diseases (Malta fever or Brucellosis and
Foot and Mouth Disease or FMD) free of charge while giving the
other part of vaccines supported by 50% as well as the
treatments of veterinary medicines, diagnostic equipments to
detect infectious diseases, especially Transboundary Animal
Diseases (Avian Influenza) free of charge, as well as
astreiginen medicine for loose dogs.
* Creation general
directorate for slaughterhouses within the new Ministry of
Agriculture Law which was approved by Ministers Council and is
currently in Parliament that is waiting for
approval.
* Holding projects with
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the development of
seeds production of strategic crops and vegetables, as well as
maintenance plant and animal sources.
* Spread awareness in the
field of Agro industry manufacturing through holding training
courses and sending trainees abroad and inside Iraq as well as
cottage
industries.
Proposed Solutions:
* working with agricultural
interests law to control the maintenance, clean-up, formation of
associations of water users and application of the principle of
participatory
management.
* Showing maximum
facilities for local and foreign investors to invest in the
field of post harvest techniques and the provision of capital
(investment funds) to spread these techniques by the private
sector.
* Encourage the private
sector to invest in cows stations and establishment the
integrated industries for manufacturing and marketing
products.
* Coordination between the
relevant Ministries (Agriculture, Industry, Minerals and
Trading) to support the local product to set a mechanism of
regulation to exploit the industrial crops and the production of
agricultural equipment and to ensure the conduct of the product
after undergoing worldly quality control conditions.
* Encouraging the
establishment of feed industry, protein concentrates, feed
supplement from agricultural waste and food industries, such as
starch, alcohol, dates and tomato paste.
* The establishment of
agro-industry complexes and encourage investment in
agro-processing.
* Present maximum
assistance for the establishment of modern agricultural
markets.
* Taking into consideration
that the slaughterhouses are within the projects of public
interest and the State will control the current slaughterhouses
or reconstruction them through the promotion of investment in
this aspect.
* Giving more attention to
current seeds companies and resolve their existing
problems.
Fifth: Quantitative and
Qualitative Deterioration of Agricultural
Wealth:
* Decreasing number and
production of livestock (cows, buffalo, sheep, goats and
camels).
* Deterioration of the
poultry industry.
* Decreasing the fisheries
and aquatic cultures in interior aquatic surfaces.
* Decline the numbers and
date palms productivity.
* Deterioration of fruits
orchard.
* Decreasing the areas of
natural and artificial forestry.
* Losing and depletion the
genetic saving for plants and animals.
Performances of the
Ministry of Agriculture
* Working on genetic
improvement for livestock through adoption the project of
artificial insemination free of charge for the cows and using
rams and shamea goats genetically improved for increased numbers
of births, twins and improve the productivity specifications
especially milk.
* Preparing the State
Company for Livestock Services in the Ministry to invest the
project of embryos transfer of cows through joint program
between it and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it was
agreed to insert (2000) frozen embryos in 2010 and preparing the
responsible staff to implement this project by sending a number
of them to Australia to develop their experiences.
* The Ministry has prepared
instructions for the import of living animals for the purpose of
encouraging import varieties of breeding animals that fit the
nature of the Iraqi environment.
* Providing support for the
feed (bran, barley, maize and dates) as well as vaccines,
subsidized veterinary treatments and loan funds.
* Existing a deer
protective area in Al-Rutba that contains 870 deers, and will
establish new protective areas that fed by the main protective
area in Al-Rutba.
* There is current work to
rehabilitate the project for poultry grandparents in Samarra
that aims to provide the poultry sector projects with mothers of
specific assets.
* Adoption and
dissemination fish breeding in cages (intensive breeding).
* Adoption the tissue
culture of date palm multiplication ,the project of development
and descendant the old orchards for date palm, the establishment
new orchards, import date palm seedlings productive with tissue
culture and the laboratory of tissue culture donated by the
Government of United Arab Emirates to the Iraqi Government
during a visit of the Prime Minister to them.
* Ground and aerial
combating free of charge the insects (Tropiduchidae, Ommatissus
libycus and Cosmopterigidae, Batrachedra amydraula) on the date
palm, while continuing to search for alternatives to chemical
pesticides by using biological combating and plant extracts.
* Insertion species of
different kinds of fruit trees from Italy and America and
dissemination planting and breeding them in central Iraq areas,
as well as spread the cultivation of high oil olive and
pistachio.
* Support the production of
forestry saplings and distribution them with simple prices and
the establishment of industrial forestry.
* Creation a center of
plant and animal genetic sources within the new Ministry
Law.
Proposed Solutions:
* Continue to use
artificial insemination and work on insertion embryos transfer
technology to improve productivity efficiency of animals in
addition to the importation animals for breeding.
* Stop smuggling through
making price budget with the prices of meat in neighboring
countries, through the support of breeders to encourage them for
marketing inside Iraq.
* The adoption of import to
cover the shortage in the number of animals at the start
line.
* Protecting local products
from dumping the markets with poultry products (anti-dumping,
customs tariff) through the provision of fuel and electricity
with subsided prices for the different poultry farms as well as
subsidizing the feeds.
* Encourage investment in
integrated projects (mothers, hatcheries, production stables).
* Emphasizing the
prevention of over fishing and depleted fisheries and
application the laws against offenders in the periods of fishing
prevention.
* Encourage investment in
fish production with cages system.
* Return for fishing on the
high seas.
* Continue to extend the
interior aquatic surfaces with fingerling fish and hand size
fish.
* Encourage investment in
the laboratories of tissue culture of date palm.
* Continue to combat the
insects (Tropiduchidae, Ommatissus libycus and Cosmopterigidae,
Batrachedra amydraula) as well as date palm stem borer.
* Continuing to subside the
prices of dates purchase from the producers and the promotion
the process of dates manufacturing, packaging and exporting.
* Permitting the
establishment of orchards on unsuitable lands for crop
cultivation as heights and uncultivated and desert lands that
leased due the Law No. 35 of 1983 and make the period of lease
25 years and more.
* Preventing deforestation
and punish the offenders and reforestation the natural
forestry.
* Intensification the work
in the green belts of cities and towns, reconstruction the old
forestry and green terraces along the external roads.
* Allocation the required
sums to restore the genetic storage to its former time (gene
bank and botanical gardens).
* The establishment of
natural protective areas in sites rich with
biodiversity.
Sixth: Agricultural
Legislations:
The agricultural sector
suffers from the oldness and don’t convoy with global
developments in the field of agricultural legislation that
includes:
* Laws.
* Systems.
* Instructions.
Performances of the
Ministry of Agriculture:
* The Ministry has prepared
a draft of 15 project Law and amendment and 3 drafts for
instructions and amendments related to the agricultural sector,
now they are in different stages in specialized authorities for
approval, in addition to the Law of the Ministry of Agriculture
that was discussed in the Minister's Council and waiting for
discussion and approved by
Parliament.
Proposed Solutions:
* Amendment the laws to
suit the new directions.
* Unification laws and
legislations that address the same subject in one single form
such as the subject of
lands.
* Writing the final
legislations with entering various amendments within the final
text.
* Cancellation the
legislations and instructions that are no longer needed.
* Facilitation the
procedures of ownerships of the agricultural lands to the
Ministry of Agriculture for purpose of establishing
projects.
* To continue working with
the standards concerning protection of local agricultural
production to encourage producers to continue production and
taking into consideration the permission for controlled import
in times of scarcity of the local
product.
Seventh: Farm Management
ensures most important factors:
* Organizational
structures.
*Planning and agricultural
strategies.
*Administrative techniques.
*Loan policies.
*Agricultural insurance.
Performances of the
Ministry of Agriculture:
* To hold specialized
courses inside and outside Iraq.
* Start with work
automation project in the Ministry.
* To continue working with
the policy of agricultural loan through loan funds.
* To expand the authorities
of Agriculture directorates.
Proposed Solutions:
* Cancellation the overlap
in the work of some activities within the Ministry formations
and agriculture directorates.
* To find an effective
regulatory form for the coordination among Ministry of
agriculture supported Ministries and Provinces Councils.
* To find a regulatory form
to receive and diagnose the problems of agricultural sector
which present to State Board of Agricultural Research in the
coordination with research centers and universities, involve the
agricultural extension in investment results of research for
application.
*Emphasis on continuing
making the strategic plans (short, medium and long term) in the
light of policies and directions of Ministry of
Agriculture.
* Continuous working in the
specialized loan funds.
* Replace the policy of
government compensations for the damage affect the agricultural
production or farmer's property with agricultural insurance, and
the government would support in the first stage of the
application to cover some of insurance cost until stability of
this policy.
Eighth: Weakness of
Agricultural Investment:
For true investment in
the agricultural sector, we need a large capital coupled with
slow development compare with other sectors, this is difficult
to provide through central government budget which requires the
investment as an effective means to attract capital in addition
to provide technologies and modern requirements necessary to
develop the agriculture in Iraq.
Performances of the
Ministry of Agriculture:
* Planning an investment
map with the projects eligible for the investment that present
to the national commission for investment, and promotion for it
through the conferences and the meetings convened by Ministry of
Agriculture.
Proposed Solutions:
* To continue the promotion
for the agricultural investment in all Iraq provinces and the
activities of concerned Boards and Companies of Ministry of
Agriculture.
* To facilitate the
procedures of investment to encourage the investors in the
agricultural sector, especially the procedures of land
allocation which is one of the main obstacles to implement the
projects in agriculture
sector.
* To encourage the
investment in the field of establishing modern slaughterhouses
that contains sections of meat industrialization according to
the best international
standards.
Ninth: Scientific Research
and Agricultural Extension:
The most important
elements for progress and prosperity in the agricultural sector
are using the methods of scientific research and agricultural
extension which achieved through the
following:
* Scientific
research.
* Agricultural
extension.
* Technology
transfer.
* Capacity
building.
Performances of the
Ministry of Agriculture
* Dissemination the results
of scientific research, the modern technology, hold courses for
developing farmers and transfer the modern technology through
more than 57 extensional farms distributed in Iraq provinces
belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture.
* The Ministry has signed
number of understanding memoranda and cooperation protocols
with a number of countries and organizations include Jordan,
Syria, Egypt, Australia, Turkey, Iran and Arab organization for
agricultural development in addition to the joint cooperation
agreement between Iraq and America all of which contain
scientific cooperation and capacity
building.
* The Ministry has signed
the mechanism of joint scientific cooperation with Ministry of
Higher Education and Scientific Research in the field of
scientific research and staff development through developing
the opportunities of getting higher degrees (M.Sc. and Ph.D.)
to the years from (2009-2015) and missions, conferences,
seminars and other fields of
cooperation.
* In the light of the visit
of Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Nuri Al-Malike to Australia and the
agreement with the Australian Prime Minister on the joint
agricultural cooperation, the Ministry has received 125
scholarships in different agricultural
specializations.
* Getting scholarships from
U.S.A. Universities.
* Getting opportunities to
study Master's degree in Italy.
* Giving a number of the
Ministry employees study leave to obtain high diploma, Masters
and doctorate in Iraqi universities.
* Getting specialized
courses, workshops within the projects of Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) in India, Holland, Brazil, Britain,
Australia, and
others.
* Getting specialized
training opportunities (outside Iraq) through the cooperation
program with Australia, America, Italy, Japan and International
center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas ICARDA, and Arab
Center for Studies of Arid areas and Dry lands ACSAD.
* Getting training
opportunities in different agricultural specializations support
the agricultural sector from different U.S sides through the
coordination with U.S. Agricultural Consult in Baghdad, and to
invest the strategic cooperation agreement between the Iraqi
government and U.S. government (SFA, Strategic Framework
Agreement) on this side.
* Development the capacity
of the staff working in the veterinary sector through the joint
project with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
* Participation in
conferences, seminars, and scientific visit outside Iraq as
available
opportunities.
* Participation in the
conference, seminars and workshops that take place in Iraq by
different sides.
* To hold training courses
and different workshops by boards, companies and directorates
belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture for the development of
its
staff.
* To continue the working
of Ministry policy in holding agricultural scientific
conference, finally holding the seventh scientific conference
under the patronage of the Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Nuri
Al-Malike.
* Regular issuance for the
scientific journal (Iraq Agriculture Journal) which became
controlled by Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific
Research.
* Entering the technology
of solar energy in the working of drip irrigation systems and
the irrigation pumps used in the agricultural
sector.
Proposed Solutions:
* To give the economic
dimension for the scientific research and measure the value of
scientific research to the extent of achieving value addition
to the national income through applying its results and to
consider the recommendations which make an improvement in the
economic output for the concerning agricultural
activity.
* Determine the priorities
of the scientific research in the agricultural sector and
supported sectors through making the requirements of the
agricultural sector and spread it as an applied research points
have the priority in the projects of high studies inside and
outside Iraq.
* To study the situation of
agricultural extension in Iraq compared with the development in
the world, and existing alternatives to forms, methods, programs
and concept of agricultural extension in developed
countries.
* To find a scientific
relation and continuous communication between the agricultural
scientific research institutions and agricultural extension.
* Emphasis on scientific
communication in all fields of knowledge through conferences,
scientific visits, workshops and the internet.
* Activating the role of
the institute for training and rehabilitation in the Ministry of
Agriculture to develop the capacities of workers in the
agricultural sector in all major
activities.
* Providing opportunities
for high studies (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) out of Iraq which ensures the
global scientific communication.
* To give an award for the
best applied research within the agricultural and veterinary
specializations.
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