Last Updated : 05 February 2010 at 12:55 IST

$30 mn USAID support for rural Afghan famers

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KABUL (Commodity Online): Roots of Peace, a U.S.-based non-governmental organization, received $30,420,241 in grants from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) last week to support rural farmers in Afghanistan's eastern and southern provinces over the next four years.

Through USAID's Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing Program (CHAMP), Roots of Peace will work with 26,000 rural farmers to double their income from below subsistence levels.

The program helps farmers upgrade their crops from cereal crops and poppies to grapes and pomegranates in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, as well as apples, cherries and almonds in the South Central region.

In the south -- Kandahar, Uruzgan, Helmand, and Zabul -- the program focuses on trellising existing vineyards which will double the farmers' income within two years. Farmers will contribute $4.5 million of their own funds to pay the costs of the new orchards and vineyards.

Jalalabad was once a citrus production area. Years of war, neglect, drought, and disease eliminated much of the production capability. The USAID-funded CHAMP program will initiate the rebuilding of the citrus industry.

"Agriculture is an important part of the Afghan life and helping Afghan farmers is a top priority for both the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States Government. We are pleased to be able to help NGOs such as Roots of Peace promote agriculture in this country," said USAID Mission Director to Afghanistan William M. Frej.

"The CHAMP program will offer Afghan farmers viable alternatives to opium production and the chance to dramatically improve their economic situation. Investing in Afghan farmers will lead to sustainable economic growth of the southern region and the country," said Heidi Kuhn, founder and chief executive officer of Roots of Peace.

A California-based humanitarian non-profit organization, Roots of Peace (www.rootsofpeace.org) has been working in Afghanistan since 2003, helping rebuild the Afghan agricultural industry. (PRNewswire)