Increased irrigation has proved vital to the welfare and future prospects of Nima and her three sons and two daughters.Five years ago, her husband died and she was left alone to look after her family. Her family's land at Shangil Tobya village in Elfashir province covered five acres, of which only three received a reasonable quantity of floodwater for irrigation.Nima managed to cultivate 1.5 acres with vegetables, tobacco and sorghum, and also sold dry products including meat, okra and chillies. But her hard work still could not cover the needs of her school-age children and she had to borrow from neighbours and receive assistance from relatives.
