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.org
26 June 2008
Media contact: icarda-media@cgiar.org
 
ICARDA’s Work in Afghanistan Acclaimed
ICARDA’s work in Afghanistan has been lauded by Governor of Laghman province, H.E. Lutfullah Mash-All, who visited some of the ICARDA activities in the province and greatly appreciated ICARDA’s successful interventions through funding from USAID-Alternative Development Program/ East (ADP/E).
Governor of Laghman H.E. Mr Lutfullah Mash-All took keen interest in ADP/E-ICARDA introduced mobile seed cleaners during his visit to ICARDA/ VBSE stall in Laghman Agricultural Fair. Director of Agriculture, Mr. Hossein Saafi (second from left in cap) inaugurates DFID supported mint-oil extraction facility established by ICARDA for Nangarhar Mint Producers Association. Dr. Javed Rizvi and Er. Manan, Country Manager, and Government Liaison.

During the visit, the Governor met members of the ADP/E-ICARDA established Village Based Seed Enterprises (VBSEs) and took keen interest in ICARDA-introduced mobile seed cleaners. “ADP/E and ICARDA together are doing excellent work in Laghman and in other Eastern provinces enabling farmers to produce quality seed, which was previously not available to our farmers,” he observed.

In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, the Governor congratulated ICARDA and VBSEs on their brilliant display during the Laghman Agricultural Fair organized by USAID-ADP/E, where VBSEs bagged the first prize for professionally exhibiting their practices and products.

H.E Fazal Rahim, a member of the Provincial Assembly of Nangarhar, commended ICARDA and ADP/E for their excellent contribution to the development of the agricultural sector in the Eastern Region of Afghanistan. While inaugurating the first seed store constructed by Afghanistan Small and Medium Enterprise Development Program of USAID for Behsood- VBSE in Nangarhar province, he said: “Everywhere farmers are very happy with the support provided by ICARDA and ADP-E. We congratulate the team for their extremely useful work on introduction of high yielding improved varieties, organizing farmers for seed production, and on development of small agro-industries like processing and value addition of mint and other medicinal plants”.

Dr Aziz Osmanzai, Director of Agricultural Research Institute of Afghanistan (ARIA), had a monitoring trip to ICARDA research activities on forage crops in Baghlan, and mint-project activities in Kunduz provinces. He appreciated ICARDA’s efforts.

ICARDA in partnership with the International Potato Center (CIP) is implementing a project in Badakhshan province aiming to enable farmers to produce disease free quality seed potato. During the first fortnight of June, ICARDA organized three field days to train farmers in best practices of seed potato production. A total of 292 farmers, high ranking government officials and staff of other national and international NGOs attended these field days. In a message to Dr Javed Rizvi, Country Manager of IACRDA in Afghanistan; Deputy Chief of Party, PADCO (USAID’s primary contractor of Alternative Development Program for Northern Afghanistan, and donor of seed potato production project) has congratulated ICARDA team for organizing very useful and successful field days.
 

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.org) is one of the 15 international research centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ICARDA 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 countries, international and regional organizations, and private foundations supporting15 international research 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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