Afghanistan Conflict Monitor

Honey, Saffron are Weapons in Afghanistan Battle

Honey, Saffron are Weapons in Afghanistan Battle, VOA News, 12 August 2010

EXCERPT: "While U.S. forces battle daily with Taliban insurgents and try to uproot Al Qaeda terrorists, other teams of American soldier-specialists are engaged in another challenging but very different mission: working directly with Afghan farmers to increase crop yields and family incomes. These nine Agribusiness Development Teams, or ADTs, are part of the part of the U.S. counterinsurgency strategy. They hope their aid programs will win over farmers whose loyalty is wavering between the Taliban and the Afghan government. The Kansas National Guard ADT is made up of about 60 volunteer soldiers, who are using their military and civilian skills-especially agricultural skills-to help Afghan farm families with sustainable, Afghan-appropriate projects. Their commander, Col. Eric Peck, says the soldiers' farming experience helps them understand the worldview of Afghan farmers. The ADT programs focus on irrigation, livestock, high-value crops and education. Team member Col. Roger Beekman he hopes to help a land ravaged by decades of war."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Afghan government MIA at American-backed farm, Wired News, 12 August 2010
Afghan farmers buying into anti-poppy campaign, top U.S. official says, The Globe and Mail, 10 August 2010
Trade deal promises bright future for Afghanistan's farmers, The Guardian, 19 July 2010

Related posts:
Pushing alternative crops in Afghan opium fight, 27 November 2009
Opportunities for pro-poor agricultural growth, 16 June 2009
Nourishing Afghanistan's agricultural sector, 28 May 2009
Pomegranates usurp Afghan poppies, 13 January 2009
ADB gives 30 million dollars to rebuild agriculture, 24 November 2008

Pushing Alternative Crops in Afghan Opium Fight

Pushing Alternative Crops in Afghan Opium Fight, Reuters, 27 November 2009

EXCERPT: "From the helicopter, you can see the empty fields of southern Afghanistan's Helmand River valley. Now comes the question: when the fields are lush again in spring, will farmers be growing opium poppy or wheat? 'This year we want to reach a minimum reduction of at least 50 percent,' said Gulab Mangal, Governor of Helmand, Afghanistan's main opium-growing province and the most violent front in the Afghan war.' There is a very strong link between opium growing and the Taliban -- the drug dealers are helping Taliban by buying weapons and ammunition for them.' Once known as the bread basket of Afghanistan, the lush green irrigated fields of Helmand are the world's single largest source of opium. The United States sent 10,000 Marines to the province this year, joining a similar-sized British force. They simultaneously launched the two biggest military offensives of the 8-year-old war, aiming to drive out Taliban fighters from the opium lands. Meanwhile, the Westerners and the Afghan government are trying to persuade farmers to switch to other crops."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Roses and opium in Afghanistan, Radio Netherlands, 26 November 2009
Fighting Afghan Taliban with Islamic credit unions, Reuters, 26 November 2009
Afghan provinces get millions to reduce poppies, The Associated Press, 23 November 2009
In three tacks for Afghan war, a game of trade-offs, The New York Times, 22 November 2009
As deaths in Afghanistan rise, so does the growth of opium, The Independent, 22 November 2009

Related posts:
CIDA to expand program swapping poppies for wheat, 15 October 2009
No more opium, no more money, 4 August 2009
Opportunities for pro-poor agricultural growth, 16 June 2009
"Poppy free" provinces: A measure or a target?, 1 June 2009
Nourishing Afghanistan's agricultural sector, 28 May 2009

CIDA To Expand Program Swapping Poppies For Wheat

'CIDA Looks To Expand Afghan Program Swapping Poppies For Canadian Wheat', The Canadian Press, 14 October 2009

EXCERPT: "In Afghanistan's war-scarred agrarian society, where farmers tend the land the same way generations of their predecessors did, change happens slowly - especially when it comes to the grassroots civilian effort to replace insurgents with resurgence. The goal is to restore the 'golden age' of farming that existed before the Russians invaded in 1979, with the help of more modern tools like irrigation and fertilizer, as well as lucrative, practical crops like wheat to replace the burgeoning poppy trade. When the Canadian government offered 50-kilogram bags of high-quality Canadian wheat to about 6,000 Afghan farmers last year, only the most adventurous were willing to give it a try. For them, that pioneering spirit is beginning to pay off. Advocates of growing wheat say they can earn as much as they would with poppies, with the added bonus of not having to worry about Taliban reprisals or the threat of having their crops destroyed by poppy eradication teams. 'The price of wheat and poppy are almost balancing each other, and if you cultivate poppy or instead cultivate wheat here, both give you the same money,' farmer Haji Sultan said in an interview."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Quick impact projects slow progress in Afghanistan', The Boston Globe, 15 October 2009
'Slideshow: US aid in Afghanistan', Financial Times, 14 October 2009
'Tribal ties, Soviet legacy frustrate Afghan development', DAWN, 9 October 2009
'Poppy planting season poses test for US opium policy', CBS News, 24 September 2009

Related posts:
'Disease threatens Afghan wheat crop', 31 July 2009
'Afghanistan expects biggest wheat harvest in decades', 2 June 2009
'Nourishing Afghanistan's agricultural sector', 28 May 2009
'Canada buys wheat seeds as alternative to poppies', 10 November 2008
'Economic incentives and development initiatives to reduce opium production', 5 February 2008

No More Opium, No More Money

'No More Opium, No More Money For Afghan Villagers', Miami Herald, 4 August 2009

EXCERPT: "Opium is one of the biggest problems facing this troubled country, because it is deeply woven into the fabric of daily life as well as into the economics of insurgency. Afghanistan supplies 93 percent of the world's opium, and it is one of the main sources of funding for the growing Taliban movement. Yet the government ban on opium is working at best unevenly. In areas of the country under Taliban control, opium production is going strong. In government-held areas such as Shahran, it has gone down drastically, but at the cost of the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of people. Their anger is imperiling government support in one of the few areas of the country that has resisted the Taliban's advance. 'Now we don't even have 10 Afghanis ($0.25) to give our children to buy bubble gum,' says opium farmer Abdul Hay. 'Before they would go into the field and collect the money themselves.'"

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Afghan govt strives to bring down increasing poppy cultivation', China View, 4 August 2009
'Offensive against Taliban in full swing in Afghanistan's south', VOA News, 4 August 2009
'Without opium, Afghan village economy spirals', MSNBC, 2 August 2009
'Pashtun ethnic agenda at heart of Afghan war', The Associated Press, 1 August 2009

Related posts:
'Afghan famine poses greater risk than Taliban', 30 October 2008
'Fueling the Taliban: Poppies, guns and insurgents', 11 July 2008
'Afghanistan's opium poppies: No quick fixes', 19 June 2008
'More provinces poppy-free, but opium production still high', 12 May 2008
'Afghan opium - The farmer's perspective', 8 April 2008

Disease Threatens Afghan Wheat Crop

'Disease Threatens Afghan Wheat Crop', IPS, 30 July 2009

EXCERPT: "Agronomists and crop experts fear that an aggressive disease that attacks wheat crops could soon reach Afghanistan, potentially threatening food security and initiatives to curb the cultivation of illicit crops. The Ug99 fungus, so named for its identification in Uganda in 1999, is a strain of black stem rust, a fungus that kills plants by leeching water and nutrients from them. Combating Ug99 is of particular importance in Afghanistan because of the Afghan economy's heavy reliance on the agricultural sector, which accounts for nearly one-third of the country's GDP. Furthermore, 80 percent of Afghanistan's working-age males are farmers, nearly all of whom grow wheat for food or sale. In addition, USAID estimates that over six million Afghanis – nearly one-fifth of the population – do not have enough food. In short, if Afghanistan's wheat crops were faced with Ug99, it could endanger food security and the bedrock of the country's economy. The proliferation of Ug99 also has implications for Afghanistan's drug industry. USAID and U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan have been promoting wheat cultivation as part of a larger strategy to combat narcotics in Afghanistan. One of their newest efforts has involved paying farmers not to grow poppies and encouraging them to grow other crops, including wheat."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'US military's new weapon in Afghanistan: Agriculture', The Statesman, 31 July 2009
'US army's farm program tackles Afghan rebuilding from the ground up', Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2009

Related posts:
'Afghanistan expects biggest wheat harvest in decades', 2 June 2009
'Nourishing Afghanistan's agricultural sector', 28 May 2009
'ADB gives 30 million dollars to rebuild agriculture', 24 November 2008
'Afghan famine poses greater risk than Taliban', 30 October 2008
'Food insecurity in Afghanistan increasing sharply', 14 January 2008

Microcredit And Rural Livelihoods In Afghanistan

Paula Kantor, 'From Access To Impact: Microcredit And Rural Livelihoods In Afghanistan', Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, 13 July 2009

EXCERPT: "Since 2003, partners of the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA) have worked to build a sustainable financial services sector to extend access to credit to urban and rural Afghans. The delivery of microcredit (MC) was prioritised during reconstruction as a means to stabilise livelihoods, improve productive assets and stimulate economic development and job creation. This paper examines the effect that the availability of MC has had on existing informal credit systems and on livelihoods in rural Afghanistan. It aims to provide information that can improve the functioning of the MC sector in Afghanistan, i.e. make its engagement more nuanced and reflective of existing credit systems, client needs and best practice. This will benefit both clients and the microfinance institutions (MFIs) alike. The study used in-depth qualitative methods to investigate the livelihoods and credit use of households in one village in each of three provinces (Kabul, Bamiyan and Balkh). Information on MFI activity concentration guided both province and village selection. Length of a village's credit programme involvement also guided village selection. The study examined three MISFA partners and the presence of different MFIs influenced provincial selection. The incorporation of different MC programmes allows the study to compare outcomes and programme satisfaction across programme characteristics."

To continue reading the report, click here [pdf].

See also:
'IFAD provides US$23.89 million to Afghanistan for rural microfinance and livestock', ReliefWeb, 7 July 2009

Related posts:
'Improving accountability for aid effectiveness', 23 June 2009
'Opportunities for pro-poor agricultural growth', 16 June 2009
'Bumper wheat harvest to reduce food insecurity', 11 June 2009
'Nourishing Afghanistan's agricultural sector', 28 May 2009
'ADB gives 30 million dollars to rebuild agriculture', 24 November 2008

Opportunities For Pro-Poor Agricultural Growth

Lorene Flaming & Alan Roe, 'Water Management, Livestock And The Opium Economy: Opportunities For Pro-Poor Agricultural Growth', Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, 15 June 2009

EXCERPT: "This paper brings together key findings and recommendations from three years of research conducted by the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) under the 'Applied Thematic Research into Water Management, Livestock and the Opium Economy' project (WOL). The major objective of this research is to enhance the sustainability of Afghan rural livelihoods and reduce dependency on illicit crops by providing policymakers with clear and accurate information on the use, management and role of natural resources in farming systems, and how these influence opportunities for agricultural development. The research is intended to produce evidence-based recommendations to increase the effectiveness of agricultural and rural policy. To achieve this goal the WOL project team has undertaken an ambitious programme of field research, spanning eight Afghan provinces and many rural communities, using a combination of research methods, and integrating diverse thematic studies through an empirically grounded farming systems approach. An important theme is the potential for farming communities to respond to planned opportunities for agricultural growth, and how policy initiatives can be most effectively implemented."

To continue reading the report, click here [pdf].

See also:
'US military aid thwarts grazing land clashes', IRIN News, 16 June 2009
'Help us or we'll grow opium: Afghan villagers', Reuters, 15 June 2009
'Bumper wheat harvest to reduce food insecurity', IRIN News, 11 June 2009
'Anti-drug effort in Afghanistan a failure: US admiral', AFP, 21 May 2009

Related posts:
'"Poppy free" provinces: A measure or a target?', 1 June 2009
'Nourishing Afghanistan's agricultural sector', 28 May 2009
'UN wants "flood of drugs" to devalue opium', 15 May 2009
'Pomegranates usurp Afghan poppies', 13 January 2009
'ADB gives 30 million dollars to rebuild agriculture', 24 November 2008

Bumper Wheat Harvest To Reduce Food Insecurity

'Bumper Wheat Harvest To Reduce Food Insecurity', IRIN News, 11 June 2009

EXCERPT: "An expected bumper wheat harvest should reduce widespread food insecurity and bring down food prices in Afghanistan, according to officials. Over eight million people across the country are believed to be food insecure and in need of food assistance. 'We are optimistic this year's grain production will reduce food insecurity considerably,' Saaduddin Safi, a food security expert in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), told IRIN. Largely owing to good rainfall, Afghanistan is expected to produce over six million tons of cereals, including over 4.5 million tons of wheat, by the end of August, MAIL and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have said. Half of the country's 34 provinces are expected to produce 25,000-50,000 tons more than their needs, but 17 other provinces, mostly in the east, central and southern areas, will face wheat deficits of 25,000-50,000 tons, according to MAIL."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Progress being made in Afghanistan, MacKay says', CTV News, 11 June 2009
'Army battle Taliban with.. saffron?', Wired, 9 June 2009
'Poppy link to Afghan bumper crop', BBC News, 5 June 2009
'Revival of irrigation systems key to reduce poverty', ReliefWeb, 4 June 2009

Related posts:
'Afghanistan expects biggest wheat harvest in decades', 2 June 2009
'Nourishing Afghanistan's agricultural sector', 28 May 2009
'Canada buys wheat seeds as alternative to poppies', 10 November 2008
'Afghan famine poses greater risk than Taliban', 30 October 2008
'Over 3.5 million at "high risk" of food insecurity: Ministry', 12 June 2008

Afghanistan Expects Biggest Wheat Harvest In Decades

'Afghanistan Expects Biggest Wheat Harvest In Decades', Daily Times, 2 June 2009

EXCERPT: "Afghanistan is projected this year to collect its biggest wheat harvest in 32 years, taking the impoverished country to near self-sufficiency in the staple crop, the agriculture minister said Tuesday. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) expects a bumper harvest that is 63 percent higher than that of last year, mainly because of good rains, Agriculture Minister Asif Rahimi told reporters. Other factors were a 20 percent increase in farmland devoted to wheat — a result of last year's high prices for the crop — and the provision to farmers of seeds and fertilisers, he said. 'The wheat harvest this year will be record high for the past 32 years if the projection proves to be accurate,' Rahimi said. This yield would mean Afghanistan would have to buy in only 200,000 metric tonnes of wheat compared to 2.1 million tonnes last year, he said. And it would make Afghanistan only 10 percent short of self sufficiency in wheat for the year, the minister said."

To continue reading the article, click here.

See also:
'Best harvest in Afghanistan for 32 years', ReliefWeb, 2 June 2009
'"High price, recession increase hunger in South Asia"', AFP, 2 June 2009
'Wheat more expensive in Afghanistan than elsewhere: WFP', AlertNet, 20 May 2009

Related posts:
'Nourishing Afghanistan's agricultural sector', 28 May 2009
'ADB gives 30 million dollars to rebuild agriculture', 24 November 2008
'Australian wheat to replace opium in Afghanistan', 6 May 2008

Nourishing Afghanistan's Agricultural Sector

Greg Bruno, 'Backgrounder: Nourishing Afghanistan's Agricultural Sector', Council on Foreign Relations, 26 May 2009

EXCERPT: "As the United States focuses new attention on the Afghan war front, U.S. policymakers are emphasizing rural development and agricultural reform as keys to long-term stability. Bruce Riedel, who coauthored the Obama administration's review of Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy, says Washington is 'going to emphasize wheat' as an alternative to opium poppy production, which has helped fund the country's strengthening insurgency. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the farm sector is a pillar of future development, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to spend $27.5 million on food assistance and rural development projects in Afghanistan and Pakistan, on top of $208 million spent on Afghan food aid programs since 2003."

To continue reading the backgrounder, click here.

Related posts:
'Pomegranates usurp Afghan poppies', 13 January 2009
'ADB gives 30 million dollars to rebuild agriculture', 24 November 2008
'Canada buys wheat seeds as alternative to poppies', 10 November 2008
'Australian wheat to replace opium in Afghanistan', 6 May 2008
'Afghan opium - The farmer's perspective', 8 April 2008