KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – “Planting knowledge to grow the future” is how the Future Farmers of Afghanistan program is billed, and a May 24 meeting held at Shaikh Zayed University in Khowst City, Afghanistan, provided an update on how the curriculum is not only helping train students to become better farmers, but also better stewards of the land and other natural resources.
A visit by Khowst provincial governor Abdul Jabbar Naeemi highlighted the day. Hundreds of students flocked to see and greet him before and after the meeting, and he readily acknowledged the present and future contributions of the students, and what they mean to their country.
“Every time we come here we find hope,” said Naeemi.
The meeting was an opportunity for the governor to meet with several of his line directors, specifically the chancellor and vice chancellor of SZU, and the directors of Education and Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock. Naeemi was joined by U.S. Army Col. Chris Toner, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Task Force Duke, and native of Topeka, Kan.
"The progress that has been made here to rebuild the agricultural knowledge-base for current and future farmers over the past several years is impressive," said Toner, reflecting on his own experience as a battalion commander in nearby Paktika province in 2006-2007. "What our ADT's and this university have done with this forward-looking partnership has been phenomenal, and provides real hope for the agricultural future of the people in this area."
Attendees were treated to a presentation by the Indiana National Guard’s 3-19th Agribusiness Development Team that highlighted the effectiveness of several FFA initiatives underway or planned at six Khowst high schools selected by the director of education.
For those accustomed to agricultural realities in the United States, the problems faced in Afghanistan are frequently taken for granted back home.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jeff Webb, the ADT’s agricultural officer in charge and a native of Fishers, Ind., said Afghan farming challenges include the quality of soil, irrigation, storage of harvest before spoilage sets in, distributing goods effectively and composting.
Because of those shortcomings, several FFA initiatives have been developed, including training on greenhouses, poultry care, solar dehydrators, compost pits and drip irrigation kits.
More importantly, an extensive mentorship program has been developed that will facilitate the passage of knowledge between teachers and students.
ADT members have worked with SZU since the 1-19th ADT arrived in Khowst in 2009. Three years and a few ADT teams later, the relationship has reached a level making the FFA initiatives possible.
For Webb, all those initiatives will hopefully lead to something even greater that endures after the 3-19th finishes their one-year deployment in August.
“We’re talking about increasing agricultural capacity and governance here in Khowst,” he said.
Naeemi listened during the meeting as his line directors provided updates on the agricultural curriculum and status of current FFA initiatives. While much work remains to be done, the future of the students, FFA, and the faculty at SZU remained in his thoughts as he made his own comments.
“We’re confident the faculty at Shaikh Zayed will do everything they can to harness our country’s greatest asset, our students,” said Naeemi.