PAL Involvement In Orchard Establishment in eastern Afghanistan

Background of PAL:

The Project for Alternative Livelihoods in Eastern Afghanistan (PAL/PAL OUTREACH) is a 20.5 million €, 6-year project (2004 – 2009), funded by the European Union and partnered with the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD). The project works in the Provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, and Kunar and is managed by GTZ International Services (GTZ IS).

The project goal is "to contribute to the reduction of poverty and facilitate the change from an opium-based economy to an alternative economic and social system”.

This is accomplished by using an implementation strategy based on three main components:

► The identification and implementation of community/village development activities with special focus on alternative income earning enterprises and associated infrastructure.

► Capacity Development of village/community organizations, district and provincial administration to assist them to prepare and implement their own development plans.

► Presentation of PAL experiences and lessons learned relevant to policy makers and project designers and international organizations.

Project implementation started with an Inception Phase (March – August 2004). Following, was a first Implementation Phase (September 2004 – February 2007) in which the PAL had extended its program to cover 20 target districts. The second Implementation Phase started in 2007 and will end with the planned closure of the PAL in December 2009.

The PAL Management Unit is located in Jalalabad. Furthermore, PAL operates a Liaison Office at the MRRD in Kabul and Field Offices in each of the three provinces. The PAL Management Unit works in close cooperation with its partner ministry and other units of the district, provincial and national administration.

The PAL GTZ IS team consists of up to 5 expatriate advisors/experts complemented by a team of around 40 local professionals as well as approx. 25 support staff.

Information and data regarding the project environment (in particular the problems linked to the drug economy), the PAL development strategy and implementation progress can be obtained from the PAL Internal Document Series or the PAL website: www.palinfo.org.

General situation of fruit production in eastern AFG

The climatic conditions in Afghanistan are very suitable for the production of high quality fruits and nuts. Therefore orchard development and gardening is one of the important priorities for the development of Agriculture, Irrigation and livestock in Afghanistan and received strong attention in the Strategy Plan of MAIL. One of the major reasons of considering orchard development as high priority is the export potential of its produce. In 1978, fruits and nuts had the highest share of revenues gained from exports.

Due to the subtropical climate in eastern AFG this region has a special potential for fruit productions and advantages in marketing, since certain fruits such as strawberries or grapes could be delivered earlier to the market and could fetch a higher price and other crops such as citrus could be produced only here.

In recent years, the world economy has accelerated its globalization and all countries now face the challenge of adjusting to the new environment in order to benefit from the opportunities created. Afghanistan is among the least prepared countries to face those new developments. However, efforts are being made from Afghan Government supported by the international community, to improve the economical conditions of Afghans. Particularly EC funded projects such as PAL and PHDP are supporting the establishment of orchards with high quality saplings. The projects are assisting in the screening, selecting and multiplication of high quality saplings among others in provinces of eastern Afghanistan such as Nangarhar, Kunar and Laghman, and are investigation the germplasm of available speicies and by this are contributing to put the weak economy of Afghanistan on a right track.

Description

Precondition for any assistance by PAL is, the availability and ownership of at least 1 jerib irrigated land by each beneficiary, the willingness to pay at least 10% own contribution for inputs such as saplings and fertiliser, participating in season long training and to apply the knowledge gained in their orchards and share it with other farmers.

All is based on PALs implementation strategy is the identification and implementation of community/village development activities with special focus on alternative income earning and orchard establishment.

The PAL responded to the VDC/CCDC proposal and considered a number of the Orchard establishment proposals in close coordination with the Provincial Rural Rehabilitation and Development Directorates (PRRDs) and respective Agriculture Directorates.

Training:

The training subject of PAL’s orchard promotion program comprises of different fields of setting up orchards and management as well as in related topics; for example: selection of appropriate saplings (not more than 2 varieties for 1 jerib, since only by this way sufficient quantities of the same fruit could be offered to the market resulting in a higher whole sale price), to set up proper irrigation, select appropriate intercrops, proper fertilisation, weeding, integrated pest management, budding and grafting, post harvest handling and basics on marketing.

PAL produced a number of brochures on advantages, requirements, technologies and economics of different orchard species. In addition training material is provided by PAL implementing partner (IP) Nangahar Agricultural training Center (NATC) and other IPs.

To develop an appropriate learning environment and strengthen farmers in production but also gain advantages in purchasing power of inputs and marketing, PAL is assisting in setting up producer organisations on village and regional level, link them to national initiatives and assists in developing their capacities.

Training needs assessment for these associations has been conducted and training curriculum designed and conducted accordingly. Orchard producer organisation are trained in how to manage an organisation, accounting, principles of setting up small medium enterprises and technical skills such as IPM and grafting.

In addition PAL is organising and moderate frequently field days on orchard management or high value intercrops such as strawberry in cooperation with (regional) producer associations, line agencies and CDC on which farmers exchange their knowledge and experiences on certain topics.

The events for info exchange and information management are complemented by series of lessons learned workshops bringing together all stakeholder and available experts to discuss specific topics in the production technology of orchards.

The results of the events are documented and available at PAL.

Output and results

Based on the participatory planning approach of PAL, that encourage and enable local communities and districts to recognise their potential for economic and livelihood development, PAL assist since 2006 various CDC and districts to establish orchards in all target districts that applied for it. So far 10 districts applied for PAL’s orchards promotion throughout the three provinces.

In total roughly on 230 hectare orchards has been established with saplings of known germ plasm and high quality standard.

Various brochures, articles and documents are available through PAL concerning orchard promotion in eastern Afghanistan.

Approximately 1000 beneficiaries have been trained within PAL projects until end of 2008 for one cropping season in a professional training centre with demonstration garden and on site, in their own orchards.

Orchard producer association are set up and are forming a network linked to each other and complemented by PAL’s assisted or other beekeeping projects for better pollination of the orchard flowers.

Full benefit however will be achieved within the next 2-4 years only, when the orchards are starting to come into full production.

The now established high quality trees in the orchards will remain at least 25-30 years in the field and a whole generation of Afghans has the potential to draw benefit out of it. Therefore it is so decisive to plant appropriate and well known varieties and species.

Farmers should avoid learning in “the hard way” as shown in 2007/2008 winter. The lessons learned from the 2007/2008 winter that become exceptionally cold, was that even 6-8 year old, mature Guave trees died! This indicated that Guave is not an appropriate tree species to be planted even here in the subtropical eastern zone of Afghanistan. Guave trees might thrive for some years but their production is not sustainable when cultivated in open fields of Nangahar, despite the extraordinary quality and taste of their fruit.

DISCLAIMER

This article has been produced with the assistance of the European Union and the GTZ IS. The content of this article is the sole responsibility of the author and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the GTZ IS.

The Project for Alternative Livelihoods in Eastern Afghanistan (PAL) is located at Jalalabad and funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by GTZ IS.