Hello,
It is a long story of why I know this, but The FAO (Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations) did a survey of horticulture in
Afghanistan in 2003. The results are online here:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5163e/y5163e00.htm
It is fascinating, really.
In the late
I recently read a magazine note indicating that
Afghan growers were receiving about U.S. $140 for
a kilo of raw opium. Does anyone have an idea of
yield? I briefly lived with a hill tribe in
Thailand many years ago and personally observed
harvest -- a bloody tough activity then. It
helped
I truly hope this isn't a common practice in Afghanistan, but it was relayed to
me by a fellow who volunteers with a group that plants trees in Afghanistan.
I believe it to be true as wild as it sounds.
Irrigation canals in Afghanistan have been used much like the trenches of WWI
and have been b
I would agree that agriculture leading to more food to eat locally would
help any nation. However our government (State Department) might not be the
best vehicle for that effort.
The last two years the state dep't has supplied afghan opium farmers with
wheat seed and fertilizer for acreage tradin
Hello Bill,
Hello Bill,
I too think that it is fantastic work that is being done. I commend
everyone brave enough and good enough to contribute. Growing apples (or
other fruits) is a very satisfying occupation, that can bring enormous
benefit to local communities through the need for labour, team b
I have a colleague who just returned from Afganistan. He was very happy with
his service there. He feels he's contributing to the effort to build a stable
society. They may make more money with drug crops but they have neigbors who
need to eat.
Bill
> Happy New Year to all,
>
> I read a
Happy New Year to all,
I read an interesting piece on Reuters News yesterday. I see that some
more US agricultural advisors will be sent to Afghanistan, though I
wonder if it is realistic to suggest to farmers there that nuts and
apples will give higher returns than opium. I'm sure that I am preac
