Residents of the Harsham Camp, located on the outskirts of Erbil in Iraq, are regularly provided with fixed rations consisting of basic amenities. However, these do not constitute the entirety of the goods distributed in the camp, as in parallel, people also run their own shops inside the camp. This project tries to give an understanding of the environment within which these exchanges take place, provides insight into some of the essential products being distributed as rations or through the shops, and traces the products’ diverse places of origin, means of arrival, and distribution flows.
Research has shown that the local economy inside the camp revolves mainly around non-sustenance goods sold at local shops, which is supported by a monthly cash distribution. The intricate and surprisingly international network that is activated through the channels of product distribution in the camp account for the geopolitical complexity of the food supply within this particular IDP camp.
