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6 October 2003, Rome -- More than
430 000 farmers in the mountains of the Hazarajat, one of the
poorest regions of Afghanistan, will receive assistance over the
next four years through a major development project, FAO said in
a statement today.
The United Kingdom has
agreed to provide $6 million for sustainable agricultural
livelihoods development in the Eastern Hazarajat.
The objective of the UK-funded FAO project is to
reduce hunger and malnutrition in the region, improve farm
production, generate income opportunities, and build up or
strengthen institutions at community, district and provincial
level, FAO said.
Where life is a
struggle
The Eastern Hazarajat
covers the mountains north-west and east of Kabul. It includes
all of Bamiyan province and the high altitude areas of Wardak,
Ghazni, Uruzgan and Ghor.
People are
living between 2000 and 3200 metres altitude, with summer
grazing and rangeland extending even higher, to over 4000
metres. Life is a permanent struggle there.
The Hazaras are one of the ethnic groups in
Afghanistan, comprising some nine percent of the population.
They have suffered over a century of discrimination and neglect,
which has been made worse by the ravages of the civil war with
human rights abuses and, most recently, severe drought.
More than 80 percent of the population are
living below the poverty line.
The Eastern
Hazarajat has not traditionally been a poppy producing area. But
there are reports that poppies are starting to be grown,
particularly in the lower valleys.
Attracted by high prices and eradication in the more
visible areas of Helmand and Kandahar, opium traders are now
extending their influence into the remote highland areas. The
Hazarajat region also provides labour for poppy harvesting
elsewhere.
"Development of
alternative livelihoods is an important counter to the expanding
drug economy", said Serge Verniau, FAO Representative
in Afghanistan.
Improving living
conditions
People in the
Hazarajat depend almost exclusively on agriculture for their
survival. Their living conditions could be significantly
improved through better crop and livestock production.
Higher yielding and disease resistant wheat
varieties, potatoes, pulses as well as fruit and nuts could be
introduced. The production of cash crops such as potatoes and
vegetables, together with improved methods of preserving and
storing perishable food, would also improve the wellbeing of
people, FAO said.
Rural roads also need
to be improved so farmers can reach markets and reduce
transportation costs. In winter the key passes are blocked by
snow and in spring, melted snow, rain and mud make many of the
mountain roads impassable.
Copying the success of farmers'
groups
"The main
objective of the UK/FAO project is to assist local communities
to develop the skills to resolve their own problems,"
Serge Verniau said.
This will be done
mainly through farmer-based organisations. Education and
training of groups of farmers will become the major tool to
develop the human resources of the rural communities, so that
people can make informed choices.
Farmers' groups have been working successfully in
Afghanistan, especially in FAO projects on national seed
production and poultry raising by women. The UN agency will
expand these positive experiences to the Eastern Hazarajat area.
Particular activities will be directed to
women. Their situation is very difficult, with limited access
to education and very high illiteracy rates (up to 95 percent).
Women are responsible for much of the labour intensive work such
as collecting water, fodder and fuel wood.
Finally, the project will promote locally-based
partnerships among farm families, government officers who are
responsible for local administration, non-governmental
organisations and the private sector, particularly the suppliers
of agricultural inputs, transport and marketing.
In Afghanistan, FAO has become a strong player in
supporting farmers with projects in seed multiplication and
delivery, animal production and health services, milk production
and marketing projects, successful poultry raising projects for
women and the rehabilitation of irrigation systems.
Several hundred thousand farmers have profited from
these projects. For example, in the past ten years, FAO has
built up the capacity of the national seed system from 300 to
over 10 000 tonnes per year of quality seeds.
Contact:
Erwin Northoff
Information Officer, FAO
erwin.northoff@fao.org
(+39) 06 570
53105
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