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Hasan Falah, founder of Micro Harvest:

"Our goal is to make microgreens accessible to every household in Iraq"

Just months after joining the Wifra incubation program, Hasan Falah has built one of Iraq's most promising new ventures in sustainable food production. His startup, Micro Harvest, is a youth-led agribusiness growing organic microgreens in a country where extreme temperatures, water scarcity, and food insecurity pose daily challenges.

"We started as a small business from scratch," Falah explains. "We grow arugula, radish, beet, and broccoli. All 100% organic. We use natural seeds and clean soil, without any chemicals. And everything is done by hand." Falah's clarity of purpose stood out from the beginning: to bring healthy, affordable food into more Iraqi homes. "Our goal is to make microgreens accessible to every household in Iraq."

© ITC in Iraq

Support for youth-led innovation
Micro Harvest was one of just 10 ventures selected from over 800 applicants at the Wifra product fair in Baghdad, which is an achievement that underscores both the demand for local food innovation and the potential of Iraq's next generation of food entrepreneurs.

Of the 800 who applied to the Wifra program, only 200 made it to the interview round. Just 25 were accepted into the incubator, and the top 10 were invited to showcase their products at the fair. Micro Harvest was awarded the Best Agricultural Project and received a $500 prize, earning the highest evaluation from a panel of business development experts who assessed packaging, creativity, and market potential.

"At the beginning, I had no background in project management, accounting, or marketing. The accounting knowledge especially helped, particularly for those without prior project experience." The success of Falah's startup was supported by the SAAVI project, a European Union-funded initiative led in Iraq by the ITC (International Trade Centre) in partnership with Makers of Baghdad. SAAVI (Strengthening the Agriculture and Agri-food Value Chain and Improving Trade Policy) focuses on job creation and market access by equipping youth with the tools to succeed in emerging agri-food markets.

© ITC in Iraq

From idea to market-ready product
Through SAAVI's hands-on incubation, Falah and other entrepreneurs received personalized mentoring in packaging design, business planning, and marketing. That practical support helped turn grassroots ideas into market-ready products and sparked tangible customer interest. "In our first month, we sold more than 150 boxes," Falah says. The Wifra product fair also gave finalists the opportunity to network with investors, private companies, and fellow entrepreneurs. All 10 finalists will receive dedicated marketing campaigns to accelerate their growth.

As Ali Taher, executive director of Makers of Baghdad, noted: "In just a few months, they managed to reshape their products in a very creative way, producing diverse new offerings." ITC expert, Hanaa Alhasan, added: "These products offer solutions to problems faced by this sector in Iraq. Creating a vibrant ecosystem for these projects is crucial so they can thrive, create jobs, contribute to Iraq's economic growth, and achieve sustainable development."

© ITC in Iraq

For more information:
Micro Harvest
Hasan Falah
Hasan Falah on LinkedIn