KABUL, Afghanistan – Members of the Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agribusiness Development Team visited a Veterinary Outreach Sustainment Program for the nomadic Kuchi tribesman camped in the Nurgal District, Kunar province, Jan. 8.
The Nurgal VOSP, one of six such events slated for between Jan. 4-12, was attended by more than 20 veterinary workers and dozens of Kuchi tribesmen, along with hundreds of sheep and working dogs.
“The Kuchi are entirely dependent on the health of their sheep for their livelihood,” said U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams, veterinary officer, Agribusiness Development Team. “They keep the ewes for breeding and sell the rams at market, then take that income and buy the food and supplies they need to survive. De-worming and vaccinating their sheep helps the sheep gain weight, so that’s more to sell and more income.”
The Kunar Provincial government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is administering the VOSPs for the Kuchis. Adams noted the idea for the Kuchi VOSPs originated with Afghan government officials.
“Kunar province has a director of Kuchi affairs and the livelihood of the Kuchis is important to the government,” said Adams. “We met with the Kuchi affairs director in November and December and he asked if there wasn’t something we could do to improve the health of their animals, so the VOSPs were a natural fit.”
The Iowa ADT pays for the animal medicines and salaries of the Afghan veterinarians and laborers who actually conduct the VOSPs. Purchasing the medicines, hiring the veterinarians and laborers, selecting the sites and dates for the VOSPs is all handled by Dr. Mohammed Ghalib, the Kunar provincial veterinarian.
“The Kuchis have very few resources,” said Ghalib. “They have no land of their own and so they are, perhaps, a little more dependent on their government and goodwill from others. These VOSPs are very good for them.”
“My father and grandfather made a living herding sheep,” said Salaam, a Kuchi elder. “We are an uneducated people. If the government would give us land, we would stay there. Then they could build us a school so our children could become educated.”
Ghalib pointed out that he, as the provincial veterinarian, was not in a position to address Salaam’s larger concerns and cited what the government had done for the Kuchi tribes.
“In the first two VOSPs we treated more than 3,500 animals, and will probably treat 2,000 more today,” Ghalib said. “We expect to treat another 5,000 over the next three VOSPs.”