I have a colleague who just returned from Afganistan. He was very happy with his service there. He feels he's contributing to the effort to build a stable society. They may make more money with drug crops but they have neigbors who need to eat.
Bill > Happy New Year to all, > > I read an interesting piece on Reuters News > yesterday. I see that some more US agricultural > advisors will be sent to Afghanistan, though I > wonder if it is realistic to suggest to farmers > there that nuts and apples will give higher returns > than opium. I'm sure that I am preaching to the > converted here when I suggest that apple growing is > hardly a highly profitable venture. > > Con Traas > > > > http://in.reuters.com/article/southAsiaNews/idINIndia-45331820100112 > > > > KABUL (Reuters) - Interrupted by the occasional > whirring of military helicopters overhead, the U.S. > agriculture chief sipped pomegranate juice with > Afghan farmers, who told him not enough > international aid was getting through. > > Wrapping up a three-day visit to Afghanistan on > Tuesday, Tom Vilsack met the farmers -- representing > pomegranate and apple growers -- at an fruit juice > export plant in Kabul, part funded by the United > States which has made agriculture the biggest > non-security priority in the country. > > Seated outside, the farmers complained of lack of > credit facilities -- something Vilsack is looking > into -- and problems in the entire farming chain, > from acquiring seeds to a lack of refrigeration and > getting goods to market during a war. > > "We hear of pledges of funding but we have not seen > anything yet," said Haji Ghulam Dastageen, an apple > and apricot farmer from Paktia province. "We are > looking forward to getting assistance from the > international community and from the (agriculture) > ministry," he added via a translator. > > Vilsack, who pointed to the U.S.-funded juice > factory behind him as proof of U.S. commitment, > later announced an additional $20 million in aid to > help improve Afghanistan's agriculture ministry > deliver services to farmers. > > "After decades of conflict, Afghanistan lacks many > of the personnel and knowledge resources needed to > deliver much-needed services to its people, more > than 80 percent of whom rely on agriculture for > wages and sustenance," he said at a news conference > announcing the funds. > > Last year, the United States spent about $300 > million on agriculture projects in Afghanistan and > projected spending this year is more than $400 > million. Vilsack also promised to send more U.S. > agricultural advisors. > > The hope is that funds spent bolstering > Afghanistan's agriculture ministry will improve > delivery of services to the country's farmers and > thus boost confidence in central government and draw > support away from the Taliban. > > FARMER-TO-FARMER > > A farm owner himself, Vilsack peppered the Afghan > farmers with questions from how they got their water > to what they needed in terms of credit facilities > and packaging to protect goods currently bruised en > route to market. > > The United States and other allies are looking at a > range of credit options for farmers in the hope they > can wean many from growing opium poppy, which fuels > the Taliban insurgency. > > The goal is to provide up-front funds for wheat but > also higher-value products such as table grapes, > nuts and apples in the hope they will get better > returns than opium. Afghanistan produces nearly all > of the world's opium, used to make heroin. > > "We are looking forward to receiving loans ... we > also want low interest," said Haji Yaseen, another > apple grower from Paktia province. > > "Farmers everywhere want that," laughed Vilsack, a > former governor from the U.S. farming state of Iowa. > > The Obama administration has promised to present a > list of credit options to the Afghan agriculture > ministry by March. The plan is to offer credit > facilities like those given to farmers in the United > States, who get low-interest loans. > > "How do you pay for your imports? Would you use a > banking system?," Vilsack asked the farmers, who all > nodded. > > When U.S. President Barack Obama announced his new > strategy to send in 30,000 more troops to > Afghanistan, he also promised a civilian "surge," > including additional agricultural advisors to > overhaul an industry devastated by decades of war. > > "President Obama ... understands that the future of > your country is on this table," said Vilsack, > pointing to a table laden with nuts, apples and > pomegranates, many of which he sampled. > > "I look forward to going back to Washington with > your messages and to give as much help as we > possibly can," Vilsack told the farmers. "I can > assure you that I'm going to be a consumer of > pomegranates from now on." > > (Editing by Peter Graff and Sanjeev Miglani) > > (c) Thomson Reuters 2010 All rights reserved > > William H Shoemaker, UI-Crop Sciences Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops St Charles Horticulture Research Center 535 Randall Road St Charles, IL 60174 630-584-7254; FAX-584-4610 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard <http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon Clements <webmas...@virtualorchard.net>. Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent "official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for the content.
