ADT, PRT, coalition partners meet with leaders in Jaghori District

AFGHANISTAN

12.04.2010

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force 101

By U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Laura G. Childs

Ghazni’s Texas Agribusiness Development Team-IV, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Ghazni Human Terrain Team conducted a unified mission to the Ghazni District of Jaghori Nov. 9 to12.

The coalition teams held several key-leader engagements as well as project inspections during the four-day mission while partnering with the local Afghan National Police for combined security.

The teams met with Zafar Sharif, Jaghori District subgovernor; Mohammad Asif, Jaghori agriculture extension agent, several provincial council members and local elders to discuss how Ghazni TX ADT and coalition partners can assist Jaghori leaders in increasing the capacity and competency of the district government through agriculture and economic development.

Sharif expressed his appreciation for current agriculture projects supported by coalition forces and said he welcomes continued partnership in future projects. Because security is stable in the Jaghori District, coalition forces have more freedom to effectively manage development projects that can directly and immediately impact the agriculture sector.

One potential project recommended to Sharif by the local council is a proposed expansion of an irrigation canal, which will extend the current canal by three kilometers. This increase will allow 350 families to have access to irrigation water which will significantly improve their crop yield. Since most farmers in Jaghori depend on wheat for their livelihood, this project is extremely important to improving the agricultural output of the population here.

Several members of the joint teams also conducted a market assessment at the local bazaar to assess trends, discover opportunities for value chain improvement, and find best practices to encourage agribusiness growth in Jaghori and other districts in Ghazni. The district center bazaar has more than 700 shops and covers approximately eight square blocks with shops such as bakeries, fruit and vegetable stands, agriculture supplies, clothing and shoe stores, restaurants and jewelry shops.

While most shop owners reported they have had an increase of 10 to 25 percent in their volume sales and profits over the past year, they have also had a 25 percent increase in wholesale food prices. This increase can be directly attributed to the lack of security on the roads leading to the district center, most notably the road between Ghazni and Jaghori.

“The main concern the people of Jaghori have is the need for the government and (coalition forces) to improve the security of the main road between Jaghori and Ghazni,” Sharif said. “This will allow people to safely travel to and from Ghazni, which would tremendously increase the economic activity and allow much greater access to all goods and services.”

Members of the TX ADT’s Female Engagement Team had the opportunity to make several trips to a local orphanage in the district center. The PRT delivered much-needed supplies such as winter clothes for the children in the orphanage. Children living in the orphanage range in age from 4 to 21 years old, and all lost their families due to violent acts of insurgents.

“While there is much work still to be done in Jaghori, the district is an example of success based on the people choosing the path of cooperation, peace, prosperity, and development,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Brian P. Stevens of Austin, Texas, Ghazni TX ADT commander. “It is imperative that (coalition forces) continue to support successful districts such as Jaghori because it exemplifies how functional the district-level government can be when the population has confidence in the local government and is willing to cooperate amongst themselves.”

• Date Taken: 12.04.2010
• Date Posted: 12.03.2010 15:14
• Story ID: 61303
• Location: AF