Afghanistan : Agriculture and livestock development and credit support

As part of our microfinance multiplied approach, BRAC introduced the Agriculture and Livestock Development and Credit Support Programme in Afghanistan in 2003. With 85% of the population involved in farming or some form of agriculture, it is the largest sector of the Afghan economy. Women are responsible for 90% of poultry production. Crop and livestock production has been seriously damaged by decades of conflict. Increasing food security and creating agricultural jobs is a high priority for BRAC in Afghanistan.


Programme description

BRAC’s Agriculture and Livestock Development and Credit Support Programme (ALDCSP) in Afghanistan caters to the entire lifecycle of crop and livestock production of the country’s agricultural community.

BRAC believes vegetable cultivation ensures food security and the nutritional requirements for a family. Farmers usually grow tomato, turnip, radish, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, beans, onion and potato on their small plots of farmland and rear poultry, cows and sheep. Wheat, maize and rice are widely cultivated crops in Afghanistan


The specific objectives of the programme are to:

• Increase agriculture crop production and make the country self sufficient in food production
• Increase livestock productivity throughout the country.
• Generate income and employment opportunities in agriculture and livestock related activities
• Bring marginal farmers and illicit crop growers, especially vulnerable women and female heads of households, into sustainable agricultural enterprises
• Decrease the mortality and morbidity of animals through prevention and provision of quality veterinary services and drugs
• Capacity building of the agriculture farmers and livestock and poultry rearers by providing technical training

Model Farmers/Agriculture Extension Workers

At the core of the programme are agriculture extension services delivered by our Agriculture and Livestock Extension Workers and Model Farmers who have received technical training from BRAC. Extension Workers are engaged in the same farming activities as the farmers they call on, i.e. crop farmers call on other crop farmers etc. Model Farmers grow crops on a farm of a minimum size following approved agronomic practices. The Agriculture Extension Worker also grows crops, but may not have a large enough farm to qualify as a Model Farmer. They receive training from BRAC and share their knowledge of improved practices with neighbouring farmers.


Training

Training of Extension Workers and Model Farmers is conducted by Sector Specialists in poultry, livestock and agriculture and is provided at the nearest BRAC ALDCSP branch office. Training duration and curriculum varies depending on the type of agent being trained.

Model Farmers and Agriculture Extension Workers receive 14 days of training covering best management practices for every aspect of crop production from seed selection to harvest of different crops (vegetable and cereal).

Poultry Development Workers are trained for seven days and Livestock Extension Workers receive 21 days of training on three animals - cows, sheep and goats. The training curriculum includes all elements of animal husbandry. Artificial Insemination workers are trained by the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture in a 30-day course following the government curriculum.


Service Delivery

Extension workers deliver services by travelling from farm to farm. The workers can usually call on a maximum of 10 farmers/rearers a day. An extension worker calls on each client about once a month.


New Initiatives

BRAC is currently piloting an agriculture-based capacity building and livelihood improvement project in the Ghor and Daykundi provinces in the central highlands of Afghanistan. The project has the provision of giving technical support and training to small and marginal farmers on poultry, sheep and cattle rearing, cultivation of cereal and vegetable crops and training paraprofessionals while introducing some demonstration farms from which the farmers can gather practical knowledge. Positive experiences gained from the pilot projects will be replicated in further proposed areas.