Financial Times
A massive plan to replace seeds lost to drought and war has been unveiled, writes John Mason
February 14, 2002 | By JOHN MASON
The long-term recovery of Afghanistan's farming, devastated by three years of extreme drought and 23 years of war culminating in the recent US bombing campaign, depends on one thing above all else - seeds, say leading food scientists.
Plans to launch the largest-ever programme to replace a region's lost and damaged seed stocks were announced yesterday by a consortium of respected international agricultural research institutes and others. The consortium's goal is to create the critical mass of seed needed for Afghan farmers to then produce their own seed supplies and so achieve food security. Some 125,000 tonnes of seed are required, a target that could be reached within three years, say scientists involved.
Adel El-Beltagy, director-general of the Syrian-based International Centre for Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), which is leading the effort, said: "Right now, the seed situation in Afghanistan is critical. We believe the majority of the country's seeds were lost when farmers planted the 2001 crop. When the rains failed for the third year in a row, it put an end to their ability to stay on the land."
The trick the scientists are trying to pull off, under difficult circumstances, is to build the foundations for a long-term, sustainable recovery. What they hope to avoid are the short-term emergency responses of some development agencies that often fail because they are technically inappropriate.
"If Afghanistan is going to get back on its feet, and if we are going to diminish dependency on food aid programmes, development programmes are going to have to make sure that they provide Afghan farmers with appropriate technology and policies," said Mr El-Beltagy.
However, launching such a programme in the current climate in Afghanistan has risks, Mr El-Beltagy concedes. Uncertain political stability outside the capital of Kabul and minefields and other physical legacies of years of war provide constraints. "Mines are risks we are well aware of. After the temporary Afghan government, there will be a permanent government. We will link up with them and try to have a proper dialogue. But there are risks, yes," he said. Although Dollars 12m has already been committed to the project, further funding will also be required, he said.
Seeds will include those of traditional varieties of wheat, maize, barley, chick peas and lentils, which have been used for centuries.
In 1992, Afghanistan's national agricultural gene-bank, which stored seeds and other plant material, was destroyed during the civil war. However, samples of some, if not most, of these seeds will be replenished from gene-banks run by the consortium's members, such as the Mexico-based wheat research institute.
Restoring the seed supply is seen as so critical that 75 per cent of the consortium's budget will be spent in this area. Other money will go on improving goat and sheep herds, almost half of which have been lost, restoring soil and water management and reintroducing native fruit and vegetable crops.
The work will involve working closely with other agencies to address other issues, such as the shortage of men able to rebuild and work the land.
Abdul Raman Manan, former director of Afghanistan's national agricultural research service, said the country had been self-sufficient in food until the Soviet invasion.
"Agriculture is at the heart of our culture and our history. Over the centuries, Afghan farmers domesticated 18 important food and horticultural crops, including wheat, peas, carrots, melons, apples and pistachios," he said. Not only did the country have its own seed and credit systems, it enjoyed a reputation in neighbouring countries for its superior fruit, he said.
Copyright: The Financial Times Limited 1995-2002Financial TimesA massive plan to replace seeds lost to drought and war has been unveiled, writes John MasonFebruary 14, 2002:
