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PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan — The Afghan national army partnered with the Forward Operating Base Orgun-E detachment of the Paktika Provincial Reconstruction Team to deliver trees to locals in the Sarobi District, March 23.
The trees consisted of two types: erosion control trees and orchard trees.
"The erosion control trees are designed to strengthen the land along the wady's and canals," said U.S. Army Capt. Phillip Stone, Orgun-E PRT officer in charge. "Water is basically the source of life of everything and is the most precious commodity."
Apricot trees, almond trees, and apple trees were among those distributed for orchards.
"The orchard trees are not going to be able to provide a lot of sustainable value in the immediate future," Stone said. "But when those trees begin to take root and grow over the next couple of years, the villages and families can live off them."
Stone also said that there is potential for the orchard trees to provide a source of income.
Most of the farms in eastern Pakitka province are subsistence only, meaning they don't generate income, he said. The crops produced by individual farms are used to feed the farmers and their families.
"Anything we can do to help increase the amount of crop production yields will help them to eventually get to the point where their farming would allow them to generate income," Stone said.
The Sarobi sub-governor, Mohammad Qasan, ensured the trees went to those who attend local Shuras.
"I am very glad the trees made it here and that we are getting the things we have been promised," Qasan said.
The tree distribution is an ongoing project, initiated by previous PRTs. In the process two local Afghan agricultural advisors were hired to teach the locals how to care for the trees.
"It's necessary to know that most of the hard work involved with programs like this is credited to the Afghans," Stone said. "We can fill in the gaps for the money, but it's the Afghans who do all the hard work. They do the training. They're the teachers, the learners and they are going to be the planters and the maintainers."
Qasan expressed happiness at the receiving of the trees.
"These tree's are going to help the people of Sarobi district grow fruit, and hopefully be able to do more for themselves in the future," Qasan said.
| Date Taken: | 03.24.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 03.24.2010 21:15 |
| Story ID: | 47169 |
| Location: | PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 140 |
| Downloads: | 107 |
This work, People of Sarobi receive trees, by PFC Christopher McKenna, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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