Refurbished Agricultural Research Stations Connect Farmers to New Crops, New Markets, Training and Higher Incomes
|
In the early 1970s, there were 22 agricultural research stations in Afghanistan. Most of them were abandoned, bombed, looted or confiscated by warlords. ICARDA has refurbished 6 stations in 5 provinces. These stations serve as launching points for hundreds of village seed enterprises (VSEs) throughout Afghanistan. VSEs provide the means for small business development, new markets, crop improvement, technology transfer, and training opportunities for farmers. Each station is outfitted with a seed-cleaning machine and varieties selected by ICARDA scientists have been planted for multiplication and evaluation. Farmers are invited to visit the station to examine crops and make selections. This farmer participatory method allows the farmers to adopt new improved varieties that perform best in their agro-ecology. Such a participatory approach has been found to accelerate adoption of new technologies, particularly among resource-poor farmers in less favorable areas. For farmers starting their own seed production enterprise, the station provides access to equipment and training for harvesting, cleaning and treating the seed to prevent infestation from pests and pathogens. |
|||
|
|
|||
 Farmers visiting station in Pol-I-Chumry |
|||
| The stations continue to provide a flow of improved genetic material of barley; spring bread wheat and durum wheat from the CIMMYT/ICARDA wheat program: lentil, faba bean, chickpea and forage legumes. Altogether, six seed testing laboratories are being installed in five provinces along with meteorological equipment to provide accurate weather data. Deeper wells are being dug where the drought has caused them to go dry and improved crop seed is being multiplied for transfer to farmers and seed-supply entrepreneurs. | |||
 Buildings at Badam Bagh - before |
 New Seed Lab at Badam Bagh |
||
| By agreeing to refurbish the ruined agricultural stations in these provinces, the Consortium conducts all operations: distribution of wheat seed, research trials, seed multiplication, training, seed health and quality testing, seed cleaning, and village seed enterprises, rent-free and in cooperation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. | |||
See copyright and disclaimer information.