 |
The Future Harvest Consortium to
Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan
Principle Investigator: Jiaguo Qi
Afghan farmers need all the help they can get to rebuild
agriculture in this war- and drought- devastated land. The
distribution of wheat seed and fertilizer has already
drastically improved crop yields over the 2001 harvest, but much
remains to be done. Malnourishment still plagues the Afghan
population and the agricultural infrastructure is in ruins.
The Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in
Afghanistan is distributing over $1,300,000 in project grants
targeting key areas identified by needs assessments conducted
within Afghanistan. Funded by the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) and led by the International
Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the
grants will draw on the scientific expertise of organizations
around the world. |
 |
Some of
the immediate barriers to rebuilding agriculture include the
inadequate supply of improved crop seed for a wide variety of
crops, the need for training for Afghan farmers in new
techniques and varieties, and a devastating four-year drought.
Afghan farmers are struggling with infestations of insects and
the lack of forage for what remains of their livestock. In 2002, the Future Harvest Consortium distributed
approximately 5,000 metric tons of improved wheat to thousands
of Afghan farmers and dramatically increased crop yields. While wheat is the most important staple in the Afghan
diet, crop diversity is necessary for addressing malnutrition
and reestablishing cash crops for local use as well as export.
Satellite remote sensing and GIS technology were utilized by
Michigan State University to produce comprehensive rangeland
information to assist farmers in managing their rangelands for
better forage production. Maps were provided to farmers along
with training on how to interpret and use the information.
Specifically, the objective of this project was to develop and
produce a suite of rangeland information products to assist
ranchers and rangeland managers in the region to efficiently
manage their ranges for enhanced forage production. Landsat
and MODIS images and existing GIS produced data on grass cover,
height, and total forage amount in grass-dominant rangelands in
Afghan. These products were delivered both in map format and
on CDs. We hope to collaborate with the Afghanistan Ministry of
Agriculture and NGOs to train the local rangeland managers on
the interpretation of these products. As a pilot project, this
proposal serves as a demonstration of the satellite technology for
sustainable rangeland management decision support. For more
information about this particular project, please contact Dr.
Jiaguo Qi at Michigan State University at qi@msu.edu.
more information about this project
For more information about other projects and rebuilding of
Afghanistan’s agricultural economy, please contact:
The Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in
Afghanistan is a multi-partner effort led by the International
Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) and
funded by the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID). More information on the Future Harvest Consortium to
Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan can be found at:
www.futureharvest.org or contact s.varma@cgiar.org.
The mission of the International Center for Agricultural
Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is to improve the welfare of
people and alleviate poverty through research and training in
dry areas of the developing world by increasing production,
productivity, and nutritional quality of food, while preserving
and enhancing the natural resource base. ICARDA is a Future
Harvest Center supported by the Consultative Group on
International Agricultural Research. For more information visit:
www.icarda.org
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
is a government agency providing U.S. economic and humanitarian
assistance worldwide for more than 40 years. For more
information visit: www.USAID.gov
 |
| |
|
|
The Center for Global Change & Earth Observations, Michigan
State University
218 Manly Miles Building, 1405 S. Harrison Road, East
Lansing, Michigan 48823, Phone: (517) 432-7774 |
