"The challenges in Afghanistan are immense and complex. The country suffered 20 years of violent conflict, and three successive years of drought. The result has been a widespread displacement of people, and a large number of widows and disabled. Much of the infrastructure is damaged or destroyed, and markets have been disrupted," said Prof. Dr El-Beltagy in a speech at ICARDA's annual Presentation Day on 26 May 2003.
     "There remain serious security problems, especially in rural areas of Afghanistan, and some areas are still heavily mined. What's more, poppy cultivation, for which the country was infamous, is returning as a main crop," the Director General said.
     At a planning meeting in Tashkent in January 2002, ICARDA was called upon to lead the Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan, which includes the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, nine centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, USAID, and several other international agencies, universities and nongovernmental organizations.
     Working from ICARDA's office in Kabul, the Consortium has led and sponsored the rehabilitation of provincial agricultural research and extension offices and stations, restarted practical research into variety selection, reestablished fruit tree nurseries, and multiplied seed of improved and promising varieties. USAID has provided US$9.5 million and Canada half a million dollars for the Consortium.
     The Tashkent meeting developed a framework for both short- and medium-term rehabilitation projects to address: (1) seed systems and crop improvement; (2) soil and water management; (3) livestock, feed, and rangelands; and (4) horticulture. Following the meeting, needs assessment studies were carried out by multi-partner teams in all four areas in Afghanistan in 2002.
     "The lack of seed in Afghanistan was seen as the most serious, immediate problem facing Afghan farming communities," Prof. Dr El-Beltagy said.
     Some 3,500 tonnes of high quality wheat seed was distributed to 40,000 farmers in time for spring planting in 2002. The seed increased farmers' food grain production and spurred local seed production, supervised by ICARDA scientists placed in Afghanistan. For the fall season 2002, 4583 tonnes of locally produced wheat seed was made available to farmers.
     War and drought also took their toll on Afghanistan's agricultural biodiversity. An important collection of local germplasm was looted, and much local planting material is believed to have been lost or eaten due to poverty or displacement of rural communities.
     "Thankfully, ICARDA holds in its genebank some 2200 accessions of landraces and improved local varieties collected in Afghanistan in past years. Several of them have been multiplied and repatriated," Prof. Dr El-Beltagy said.
     In May 2002, a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock held meetings at ICARDA headquarters. They expressed a need for training and requested help in setting up seed cleaning and seed testing laboratories, and training of local researchers in agricultural research. A formal agreement between ICARDA and the Government of Afghanistan was signed.
     As a result of this, human resource development is receiving considerable attention. Over 100 participants have been trained in seed production and quality control, water management, integrated pest management, and crop improvement. Afghan researchers have also been given opportunities for training in the region, and at the Netherlands College of Agriculture.
     To help ensure the long-term health of the seed sector and promote food security, a workshop was convened in May 2002 in Kabul to formulate a 'Code of Conduct' governing all seed-related activities in Afghanistan. It was the first scientific meeting on seed in Afghanistan. The government is considering enacting a 'seed law' based on this code.
     "By working closely with Afghan colleagues in agricultural research and extension, the Consortium has managed to achieve a great deal in a short time. We're quite certain that our efforts will not only contribute to food security in Afghanistan, but also to peace and stability in the whole country," Prof. Dr El-Beltagy said.
     The Presentation Day is an annual event that ICARDA organizes to share its achievements with a diverse group of stakeholders including donors, research and training partners, policy makers, and others. The distinguished guests at the Presentation Day included several ministers, ambassadors, senior government officials, and ICARDA's partners and friends from the national agricultural research systems in the Central and West Asia region and beyond.

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.cgiar.org) serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water, improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of 62 members and 16 Future Harvest Centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting the environment

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

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the government agency providing U.S. economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years (www.usaid.gov)