Five Syrian families who have fled their war-torn country are growing an ancient and popular vegetable in Darashakran refugee camp. 

Molokhia, also known as Jute’s Mallow, is an ancient Egyptian vegetable. Stewed molokhia is one of the most popular dishes in many countries across the Middle East, including Egypt, Lebanon and Syria – including with Syrian Kurds, who widely grow the plant.

This is the first time it is being grown in the Kurdistan Region.  

Omer Mohammed is a refugee farmer from the town of Rmelan in Syria’s Hasaka province. He fled his hometown in 2013 and now lives in the camp. 

The families got the land from the Action Against Hunger in 2016. 

“I was a farmer in Syria too. I had 10 dunams of land but due to the war I left it behind. We got the land from the ACF organization in 2016. We mostly use the land for planting molokhia. Because it is not planted in the Kurdistan Region and it’s the Rojava Kurds favorite vegetable, there is a lot of demand for it,” Mohammed told Rudaw on Monday.

They say their product is sold only within the camp as they don’t produce enough to sell at markets.

The farmers usually take their wives with them to weed and harvest the plant.

Asma Mohammed is Omer’s wife, and works in the field alongside her husband.

“We usually come to pick up the vegetable and to separate which one is ready to harvest and which one is not. It needs some experience; we have more experience than our men in this regard. This job requires work from both sides; men and women, unlike other jobs,” she told Rudaw

The farmers usually import molokhia seeds from Syria, currently on hold due to coronavirus. 

Translation by Sarkawt Mohammed
Photos by Bilind T. Abdullah