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Two New Projects Signed by FAO and MAIL
Kabul, 13
April 2008 -
Today, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) signed two new projects with the Ministry of
Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL).
The first project (Support and
improve the food security of vulnerable farming families in Tirin
Kot and Chora districts of Uruzgan province through diversification
of agricultural livelihoods) is funded by the Netherlands for an
amount of US$3 838 682.
The overall objective of the
project is to enhance farmers’ ability in order to increase food
production and productivity through agriculture livelihood
diversification, in the framework of the pillar Food Security of the
Master Plan and the Strategy developed by MAIL.
This project will increase food
production and productivity and empower women, in order to reduce
vulnerability to future food crises through distribution of quality
agricultural inputs and transfer of new technologies. The project
will also built capacities of the DoAIL extension workers, existing
cooperatives and other stakeholders, and coordinate the activities
of different organizations implementing in the agriculture and
livestock sectors of Uruzgan.
It will enhance the social and
economic conditions of beneficiaries through the development of
agricultural livelihoods in communities identified in cooperation
with the FAO, MAIL and a donor country. The project will assist the
most vulnerable farming families, including female-headed
households, returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Technical training and marketing will be emphasized, empowering
beneficiaries to continue developing income-generating activities,
thus ensuring the sustainability of the project.
The project will allow FAO to
distribute 1 000 packages of each wheat seed and fertilizer, kitchen
gardening, silo and poultry as basic quick impact packages to 1 000
vulnerable households of Tirin Kot and Chora districts of Uruzgan
province. After a thorough technical assessment, each of the same 1
000 targeted farming families will receive an optional package such
as beekeeping, fishery pond, fruit tree nurseries, greenhouse, and
livestock package will be distributed to 1 000 vulnerable households
in Tirin Kot and Chora district of Uruzgan province.
The project will be implemented
to February 2010 for two years duration.
The second project (Small
Farmers Livelihoods and Income Enhancement Project in Baghlan
Province) is funded by the Government of Germany for an amount of
US$2 043 429 which will be implemented to March 2011 in Baghlan
Province.
The project aims to promote
income enhancement for small farmers in the Baghlan province through
improved farmer’s organization, value addition and market linkage
development. The project focuses on the strengthening of farm based
organizations and on the promotion of value chain integration, as a
means to enhance production and marketing skills, promote enterprise
diversification, develop opportunities for value addition and boost
farm family incomes. The main beneficiaries of the proposed
assistance are the 2000 plus small farm families originally targeted
by the Development of Sugar factory project in the area.
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