Sharing knowledge through South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC)

Kabul, Afghanistan - Upon the request from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) and with FAO’s support through South-South Cooperation Framework, experts from Thailand conducted an extensive needs assessment of the newly established animal feed quality control laboratory at the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL) in Kabul.

A two-week mission comprised of two experts was carried out in June 2019 from the Department of Livestock Development (DLD), Royal Government of Thailand. The scope of the mission was to take stock of the existing laboratory equipment, assess the capacity of the Afghan laboratory technicians and conduct required technical training to these laboratory staff.

“We are very satisfied with the result of the training. Previously, we were unable to run the available equipment, however after the training, we know how to use and run them. At the beginning of the training, there were some shortcomings from our side since we were not fully equipped with the required knowledge and skill sets. However, this training opportunity really helped us build our capacity since we could learn a lot and get best out of this opportunity. We still need few more equipment to strengthen our laboratory, and we hope that FAO would facilitate similar training activities in future as well”, said Farid Karimi, Head of the laboratory.

“The laboratory is well equipped. However, there are still few equipment necessary to run the laboratory properly, and the technicians need to get the required skills on advanced technology as well”, said Udorn Srisaeng, animal feed lab expert from Thailand. “I am very happy to be here and transfer my technical knowledge to my Afghan counterparts”, said Nuttanart Khotprom, another laboratory expert from Thailand.

Strengthening the capacity of this newly established laboratory is extremely essential for the Government of Afghanistan because it plays an important role in overseeing the activities of the private sector that are involved in the production and supply of animal feed.

“Building the capacity of Afghan laboratory experts with support of Thai experts was an excellent opportunity under the South-South and Triangular Cooperation. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Royal Government of Thailand for the support, and hope that we will be able to tap other resources from Thailand in coming days as well”, said Rajendra Aryal, FAO Representative in Afghanistan.

Strengthening in-country labs will ease the process and save costs

The lack of proper Animal feed testing facility in Afghanistan in the past meant FAO had to ship animal feed samples abroad for testing, which resulted in higher expenses and delayed processing times of up to a month affecting smooth implementation of the project activities. Improper storage units during transport or unnecessary delays also sometimes resulted in the deterioration of the feed sample quality. Transporting and testing of samples outside of Afghanistan normally took around 25-30 days, with added delays up to 10 days due to transport and custom clearance.

Livestock is a key source of income for rural households in Afghanistan

Livestock plays a key role in shaping the livelihoods of households in Afghanistan. Around 75% of Afghan households are dependent on agriculture and livestock, and access to quality feed fundamentally influences animal productivity, health, and welfare. FAO supported thousands of drought-affected families across the country with the provision of concentrated animal feed in 2018 and 2019.