Enhancing Capacities to Lead Agricultural Resilience & Social Cohesion in KRI
The DIRWENA program focuses on strengthening the technical and financial capacities of Business Support Organizations (BSOs) and farmer cooperatives, operating across the agricultural value chain in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).
Through tailored technical and financial support, the program empowers BSOs and cooperatives to become stronger community enablers, enhancing their ability to support farmers in their networks, promote sustainable practices, and foster collaboration across the region’s agriculture value chains.
Stage 1:
The program begins with an interactive 4-day bootcamp that brings together two complementary groups: representatives from 20 BSOs and farmer cooperatives, along with 75 smallholder farmers and microenterprises.
The aim is to exchange insights, build meaningful connections, and identify key challenges and opportunities for each group as community partners in the agriculture sector of KRI.
Stage 2:
Following the kick-off bootcamp, 20 BSOs and farmer cooperatives, along with 50 smallholder farmers and microenterprises, will be selected to join a 4 months phase of targeted support.
Each participant will receive tailored technical and business training, mentoring, and in-kind financial support of 3000 Euros allocated for service development.
Together for one purpose: Building resilient agricultural networks in KRI
As a farmer cooperative or a business support organization active in agriculture sector, you play a crucial role in strengthening agricultural value chains and empowering farming communities in your region.
DIRWENA program is your gateway to enhancing your operations and activities. Through technical training, mentoring, and financial support, the program helps you expand your on-the-ground impact, extend services, build stronger partnerships, and drive inclusive growth within the farming communities you serve.
Complete the survey below to express your interest in the program. Successful submissions will be reviewed for potential inclusion in the next stage of the application process.
This survey is to better understand your current activities, challenges, and needs within Kurdistan’s agriculture sector. Your input will help us identify relevant participants for the program and design tailored support activities that best serve your goals and community impact.
To ensure inclusion for applicants with limited internet access, you can download the offline version of the survey from the ‘Helpful documents’ section below. To ensure these applicants are considered for the selection process, please scan their completed surveys and email them directly to dirwena@enpact.org.
How does it work?
Take a look through the steps to find out how to join DIRWENA’s bootcamp & support program.
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Become part of DIRWENA
Take your first step to join the DIRWENA community by completing the survey found on this page. This survey collects basic information about your organization to better understand your capacity-building needs. By submitting this, you enter the selection process for the kick-off bootcamp.
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Prepare the needed information
We advise you to go through the application form once before applying. You will need to prepare a scan of your national ID, your CV/Resume, and a brief of your organization as you apply.
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Submit your application
Once everything is ready, fill out the survey form. Our team will review the initial surveys. Selected applicants will be contacted directly via email and invited to a second stage where they fill out the official DIRWENA Application Form, which requires more detailed information about your organization and capacity.
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Check your email
You will receive an email with the status of your application within three weeks. The email will notify you whether the program will be able to accommodate your organization. Please also remember to check your spam or promotions folder.
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Invite farmers and microenterprises in your network
We encourage you to invite smallholder farmers and microenterprises in your network to apply for the program as well. Their participation will complement your organization’s journey and help you foster stronger cohesion across your operations.
Who can join the DIRWENA Community?
We’re on the lookout for Business Support Organizations (BSOs) and farmer cooperatives who:
- are active in Erbil, Duhok, Al Sulaymaniyah, and/or Halabja.
- provide support, mentoring, and capacity building services to farmers, microenterprises, or value chain actors in the agriculture sector, and
- are committed to strengthening the agricultural ecosystem of KRI, promoting social cohesion, as well as sustainable practices.
To qualify for DIRWENA’s 4-month support phase, your organization or cooperative should be:
- ready to provide guidance, training, or services to farmers and microenterprises in your network,
- willing to collaborate with other BSOs, cooperatives, and diverse groups of farmers,
- able to commit to participating in the bootcamp, mentoring activities, and field visits, and
- seeking to expand organizational capacity, operational reach, and community impact.
Additional requirements:
- As a participating BSO, you must have at least 20 member organizations in your network, with at least 75% of members being MSMEs (Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises) active in agriculture or its value chain.
- As a participating farmer cooperative, you must be legally registered or formally recognized and actively engaged in farming or agricultural value chains.
Organizations and cooperatives that foster diversity, include women, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), refugees, or persons with disabilities, and aim to create positive social, economic, or ecological impact are given priority in the selection process for the 4-month support phase. This priority aligns with our dedicated focus on promoting inclusion, gender equality, and sustainable practices.
You can always email us at dirwena@enpact.org to receive support with your application within 24 hours of your request. Please note that this is the only official support channel for the DIRWENA program and the only way to guarantee a timely response.
Shortlisted applicants from the second stage will be invited to an online interview with the enpact team. This is a chance for us to get to know you better, understand your current challenges and ensure the program’s resources align with your capacity-building needs.
Following the interviews, the final cohort of 20 BSOs & farmer cooperatives, along with 75 smallholder farmers and microenterprises will be selected to participate in the Kick-off Bootcamp in February 2026.
