Farah wheat seed distribution begins in December

FARAH, AFGHANISTAN

12.01.2009

Story by 2nd Lt. Karl Wiest 

Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah

FARAH, Afghanistan — Bread is the principal commodity of food in Afghanistan and accounts for over half of all the calories in a normal Afghan's diet nationwide. Unfortunately, Afghanistan has been embroiled in turmoil and conflict for the last thirty years causing many of its indigenous farmers to flee the bloodshed and to abandon their already depleted fields.

Consequently, over one-third of the wheat and flour used for making bread in Afghanistan is imported, mainly from Pakistan, even in the "breadbasket" provinces of the north where growing conditions are more favourable than here in the west. Pakistan's milling industry is vast and, more importantly, highly subsidized. Pakistani wheat and grain manufacturing overshadows the few and far between artisan Afghan mills, knows as asiabs, and will continue to create issues for Afghans if they are unable to become more self-reliant in grain production.

To help combat this growing trend, the provincial government of Farah Province and the Farah Provincial Reconstruction Team are instituting a wheat seed distribution system beginning this month involving five districts in the province. The allocation and final distribution within each district of the high-quality wheat seed and the fertilizer, which combine to make up the project, will be the responsibility of the district governments and the district Shuras.

"You are the leaders of your districts, villages, tribes, and families," said Darren Richardson to the district representatives present at the Wheat Seed Distribution Kickoff Meeting, Dec. 1, at the Farah governor's residence. Richardson is the U.S. Dept. Of Agriculture representative assigned to the PRT. "You know better than anyone, who needs this wheat the most — that's why we are entrusting you to ensure it is distributed properly and equably among your people."

The treated wheat seed and the fertilizer are not free, however. The Shuras must turn in one bag of local wheat seed for every two bags of certified seed that they receive from the provincial government and the PRT. For example, if a village is receiving 50 bags of certified seed and 50 bags of fertilizer, then they must turn in 25 bags of their own local wheat, which is not of the same quality as the seed they will be receiving. The wheat that the villages turn in will then be used by the provincial government and the PRT for humanitarian aid later this winter.

"This is a good process and a good program that will greatly help many of the people and villages in our province," said Rahool Amin, the Farah Provincial Governor, whose office will oversee the entire distribution system and will settle all disputes. "Now is the time to stop disagreeing and arguing about who gets what. Now is the time to start working together to help our people and to help our economy."

A total of 400 metric tons of both wheat seed and fertilizer are ready to be distributed throughout Farah Province. The five districts taking part in the program are Bakwa, Gulistan, Pusht Rod, Khaki Safed, and Bala Baluk.

"On behalf of all the farmers of Farah, thank you PRT, USDA, USAID, and the people of the United States," said Lahal Mohammad, the head of the Farah Farmers Union. "Thank you for donating such a great bounty to Farah province."

• Date Taken: 12.01.2009
• Date Posted: 12.10.2009 08:39
• Story ID: 42547
• Location: FARAH, AF