Restoring Afghanistan’s agriculture prowess in areas other than illicit opium production is one of the administration’s topic domestic priorities for the nation. Afghanistan is a nation of farmers, roughly 80 percent of the Afghan population lives off farming, so transitioning from poppy’s used for opium and heroin to value-added products like fruits and nuts will be a mighty challenge. This is particularly true when one considers the ability of the Taliban to provided Afghan poppy farmers with something the government can’t—credit, seeds, support, and fertilizer. Never mind that growing the plant for drugs makes farmers five times the profit they would receive if they were engaged in wheat production instead. So, the challenges of transitioning Afghan agriculture will be hard, but the administration remains undeterred, making agricultural reforms its top non-security agenda item.To help out with these efforts, members of the Arkansas National Guard’s Agricultural Development Team (ADT) received training on January 25 and January 26, 2010 “from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences animal science, poultry science and entomology faculty members . . .” reports the University.
Back in November the University of Arkansas provided a week of training in these areas. While working in the field the ADT will be able to consult with agriculture scientists at the university via the internet.
Col. Steven Redman, commander of the Arkansas Agriculture Development Team, said, "We are the first ADT in this particular province, so the reach-back consulting piece is an integral part of the mission. The ability to access the research and experience of the university professionals will help ensure the success of our team in dealing with unique farming issues."
The mission in Afghanistan for the ADT is to help improve farming and conservation practices, and develop the other industries that will be necessary for a thriving sustainable agricultural economy in the war-torn country. In addition to Arkansas, ADT teams are also being formed in California, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. The challenge is immense, but the success of these ADT teams may be the key to winding down the war and bringing stability to Afghanistan.
To read the article on the ADT teams from the University of Arkansas newswire, click here.
Posted: 02/02/10
