WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan – To improve the economy in Wardak province, soldiers from the Georgia Agribusiness Development Team and Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment’s Task Force Slugger worked together to teach local farmers how to use an apple presser in Maiden Shahr district Sept. 20.
The soldiers already conducted the class in the Jalrez district, which local villagers came to in good numbers. So, it seemed to be a no-brainer to bring the class to Maiden Shahr.
“We mostly used it [the class] as a way to establish a connection with the people,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Jacob Miller, a cavalry scout for Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment’s Task Force Slugger and native of Colona, Ill. “We realize agriculture is the driving force in the lives of people here.”
Miller, who grew-up with an agricultural background, was the primary instructor for the class in Jalrez. He came to Maiden Shahr to teach the people what they would need to be successful.
“We built an apple press to show them methods to save apples that normally spoil,” said Miller.
Miller said the economic benefit for villagers in Maiden Shahr is too great an opportunity for the locals to pass up.
“Several tons of apples go to waste inside the valley, and giving them options to be able to sell these apples and still have a product that is marketable for them will improve their way of life,” said Miller. “Selling this (apple juice and cider) at their local shops will bring in money and also shorten their hunger season.”
Once Miller began demonstrating how to use the apple presser, the locals became interested in seeing how it worked first hand.
“Every class starts out the same way, with the Afghans being very stand-offish,” Miller said. “Then, their interest takes over and before we knew it they are out there grinding out and pressing apples.”
Miller said the apple presser works when apples are ground up, then the ground apple parts are put into a clean cloth. Next, the apple parts are put under a smashing plate and mashed to get all the juice out.
One local farmer was excited about the possibility of having an apple presser for all the apples he has.
“This is very important, this apple presser,” said Ahmed Khalil, a local farmer in Wardak. “I want to make one for my home and use it for my apples.”
The apple presser is easy for the local farmers to make at a low cost to them, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Kistler, Georgia ADT Wardak provincial commander and Lawrenceville, Ga., native.
“They have the wood,” said Kistler. “Some (local farmers) are carpenters and can do a better job than we can at putting it (apple presser) together.”
U.S. Army Sgt. Nathaniel Smith, non-commissioned officer in charge for the Georgia ADT in Wardak province and native of Dunwoody, Ga., said local farmers can obtain materials for building apple presses themselves and do not need the ADT to acquire such items., “[All] we give them is a step by step [class] on how to build this [apple presser].”
Once the demonstration was over and local farmers sampled the apple cider, the villagers came to Miller with questions about how to capitalize on the opportunity.
“One of the villagers said he can produce one ton of apple juice from all his bad apples that aren’t going to be worth selling whole,” said Miller. “He wants to know how he can bottle them, package them and where to sell them.”
That question gave Miller an idea for the next training class he will teach to Afghan farmers.
“This [class] will extend into canning and pasteurizing training,” said Miller.
Miller and other Georgia ADT personnel walked away from the class confident in the hope their training will help turn around the economy in Maiden Shahr and keep local farmers from siding with insurgents.
“[It would be] an increase in the economy. As they make more money, as they’re able to improve their way of life, the government will be able to draw taxes from it,” said Miller. “The people should become less volatile, because their lives have stabilized, they have food and won’t worry about their children going hungry.”
| Date Taken: | 09.28.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.28.2011 15:42 |
| Story ID: | 77705 |
| Location: | WARDAK PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 251 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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