Agriculture is the backbone of Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Facilities & Opportunities in Agriculture Help Research & Media Team Members: Eng. Ramin Nazarian Eng. Ab Karim Niazi Eng. Homayoon Ganji Eng. Bashir Ahmad Bashemi Dec 2009

Areas of our research in agriculture Access to agricultural land How to get credit Active organizations in agriculture Associations, Cooperatives and Unions Successful returnees

1. How to access agricultural land

Rule of leasing agricultural land Lease of agricultural land - long term (90 years) for individuals, organizations and private companies for individuals up to 250 Jeribs may be leased out mixed agricultural companies may get up to 5,000 Jeribs Whenever the leaseholder is unable to exploit the leased land, the Ministry of Agriculture has the authority to cancel the contract. Ministry of Agriculture has the right to hike the annual lease by 1 to 10 percent after 5 years, depending on the type of land

Steps for leasing agricultural land : s ubmit application to Ministry of Agriculture in Kabul continue discussions with their section “private sector” and make a proposal agree on location and amount of lease with the committee in your Province agree on the duration of lease and sign a contract with the MoA in Kabul

Wheat farm of a returnee near Herat

A threshing-floor

Threshing the traditional way

2. How to get credit

the MicroFinance Bank in Herat

Conditions for getting a loan Provide collateral to the bank such as a house, shop, land … Repayments of loan every month Pay 15% administration-fee to the bank annually Duration of loan is from 6 up to 24 months Microcredit bank loan for agriculture and livestock is up to 5,000$

3. Active organizations in agriculture Governmental organizations UN - Agencies and Non governmental organizations

Department of Agriculture, irrigation & livestock is an important and coordinating body

Herat University trains professional agriculturists

FAO is the UN–Agency for Food and Agriculture Important NGOs in agriculture CRS ASMED CHA DACAAR SNI

Seed project - FAO

Livestock – program / FAO

Distribution of green houses to farmers - CRS

Production of vegetables in green houses during the winter-season / CRS and SNI

Support and consultancy for the production of new products like saffron & strawberry / CRS and SNI

State of the art - nurseries and fruit-tree plantations / CHA, SNI

4. Associations, Cooperatives and Unions

Associations, Cooperatives and Unions play an important role in social development and civil society

Conditions of membership in Unions & Co-operatives own at least one Jerib agricultural land experience in agriculture or animal-husbandry pay membership-fee regularly participate actively

Why is an agricultural cooperative good for you ? Better coordination of activities in a group Attract Government- and NGO- support Joint marketing and sale of products Reduce risks for individual farmers Improve profits and chances for all members

5. Successful returnees

Many successful returnees from Iran have made good use of the facilities and chances in Afghanistan

Engineer Ahmady a successful returnee - managing a wheat-farm west of Herat

Cultivation of 640 Jeribs using modern machinery and irrigation

Mr. Toryalay is a successful returnee who raises bees on his farm near Herat

Production of wooden bee-boxes in his small home-workshop

Investment in agriculture is a fundamental step toward progress and development of our country

Thanks