KABUL, Afghanistan - ISAF forces patrolling in the Arghandab District of Kandahar province traded 10 bags of fertilizer with a local farmer Monday.
The farmer, who was unaware of the recently announced ban on ammonium nitrate-based fertilizer, agreed to accept a voucher for an equal amount of legal fertilizer after discussing the issue with a village elder.
The AN was destroyed on site.
AN-based fertilizer is the primary ingredient in most of the home-made explosives used in IEDs in Afghanistan, and isn't the most economical, nor is it the most suitable fertilizer for the soil in Afghanistan according to local scientists. Urea-based fertilizers are recommended and are being provided to farmers.