ICARDA News

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS
P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria
Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012
Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG
Website: www.icarda.cgiar.org
6 May 2004
For more information contact:
Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
Village Seed Enterprises: Rebuilding the Seed Supply System in Afghanistan
After two decades of war and intermittent droughts, the livelihoods of farmers in Afghanistan continue to be under threat. Even during relatively peaceful times, agricultural production is low largely due to lack of high quality seed. As part of the ICARDA's work in Afghanistan, a pilot project to assist farmers in managing the seed supply system, called the Village-based Seed Enterprises (VSE), has been started in collaboration with the Government of Afghanistan. One such VSE, established in Kama District of Nangrahar Province, has 16 members and is governed by a constitution developed by the members and ICARDA staff. ICARDA provided input credit of US$ 20,000 while the members contributed US$ 2500 to start the enterprise. ICARDA’s input was in the form of one tractor equipped with a plow, 10 spray pumps, grain threshers, and other equipment. In addition, 5 tonnes of wheat seed and 12.7 tonnes of fertilizer were distributed among the 16 farmers. The inputs were handed over at a brief ceremony in February 2004 to create awareness about the VSE. The Director of Agriculture and Livestock and extension staff of Nangrahar Province attended the ceremony. It is hoped that the VSE will provide an opportunity to farmers to produce improved seed for supplying to other farmers in a sustainable way. The Kama VSE will repay the credit in six instalments within three years.
ICARDA provides start up input for VSE to the farmers in Afghanistan

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.cgiar.org) serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water, improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of 62 members and 16 Future Harvest Centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting the environment.
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