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English Version:
Arabic Version:
CONTRIBUTIONS from SEED PROGRAMS and PROJECTS
In this section we invite national seed programs, projects, universities, regional or international organisations to provide news about their seed related activities.
Update on Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan (FHCRAA)
Agricultural production capacity and food security in Afghanistan were greatly damaged by more than a decade of civil strife and several years of continuous drought. Rebuilding agriculture is, therefore, crucial if conditions in Afghanistan are to return to pre-war status and then progress beyond that level. With the USAID grant, a CGIAR - Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan (FHCRAA) was established to implement short- and long-term interventions in the country. ICARDA is a lead center for the Consortium. The objectives of the FHCRAA program are:
Project Implementation
A Steering Committee has been established to oversee, monitor and evaluate
the progress made in implementing and achieving the objectives of the project.
The Committee has an advisory capacity on future strategy and areas of emphasis
to contribute to rebuilding the agriculture sector in Afghanistan. The first
meeting of the Committee was held in August 2002 at ICARDA, Aleppo.
A Consortium headquarter was established in Kabul with other regional offices in Jalalabad, Kunduz, Pul-i-Khomri and Taloqan to implement the project. Eight short-term high impact project proposals have been approved and are being implemented. The projects bring in new partners in the Consortium (US Universities, International organizations, NGOs).
A FHCRAA website (http://www.icarda.cgiar. org/Afghanistan/index.html) and an electronic discussion group (http://webforum.cgnet.com/ afghanistanconsortium) have been established and is regularly updated with new materials. Moreover, a communication plan has been developed and activities initiated to: (a) build international public awareness of FHCRAA/USAID projects in Afghanistan, (b) Provide essential information on agriculture to Afghan farmers, and (c) Develop agricultural news and broadcasting in Afghanistan
Needs Assessments (NA)
Four Needs Assessments have been conducted: (1) Seed Systems and Crop Improvement,
(2) Soil and Water Management, (3) Livestock, Feed and Rangelands, and (4)
Horticulture. These assessments have derived information from secondary sources,
meetings and discussions with staff of relevant organizations and farmers,
as well as nationwide sample surveys.
The wrap-up meeting of needs assessments in seeds and crop improvement and soil and water was convened by ICARDA at its Headquarters in Aleppo, Syria, to discuss findings and results of these assessments and develop ideas for the future. Key outputs of the meeting included outlines of research and development priorities and project ideas in the form of concept notes, which may form the basis for full project proposals for those cases in which donors express interest. Based on the Needs Assessments, several project proposals have been developed and submitted to donors such as the Japanese Government, Islamic Development Bank, OPEC, etc.
Seed Systems
Seed Provision for Planting in 2002
For the 2002 spring planting season, approximately 3500 MT of high quality
wheat seed was procured from Pakistan and distributed to Afghan farmers through
a network of NGOs where about 40,000 beneficiaries have been reached. Farmers
were provided with quality seed for planting and by saving seed for the next
planting season a much longer and broader benefit of the spring distribution
is expected.
For the fall planting season of 2002, a total of 4,583 MT of wheat seed produced in the country was made available to farmers. About 4185 MT of seed was distributed for irrigated areas whereas the rest is for rainfed areas. In addition to wheat, small quantities of seed of rice, barley, chickpea, lentil, berseem clover, alfalfa, flax, sesame and mung bean have been purchased and distributed.
About 53 MT foundation seed of bread wheat, durum wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea and vetch has been shipped from ICARDA to Afghanistan for on-station testing, large-scale evaluation and pre-release multiplication in the fall season. Moreover, for the establishment of horticulture nurseries, planting material of almond, pistachio, apricot, walnut and peach have been procured and nurseries have been planted at some locations.
Restoration of Research
Capacity and Seed System
The Consortium has rehabilitated five agricultural research stations (Kabul,
Baghlan, Kunduz, Taghar, and Jalalabad) which have potential for seed production.
Farm equipment has been provided for on-station research and seed production,
and for meteorological stations. A total of 100 ha of land have been planted
in these stations.
A variety maintenance program has been initiated in Darul Aman, Baglan, Kunduz, and Taloqan to maintain varietal purity and to initiate the seed multiplication cycle of existing varieties. Similarly, horticultural nurseries have been planted in Darul Aman, Kunduz, Taloqan and Jalalabad.
To re-establish the variety evaluation system, international nurseries of durum wheat, barley, chickpea, lentil, faba bean and forage legumes have been sent to Afghanistan for testing (trials) for yield, drought and cold tolerance, and disease resistance. The international nursery program will identify adapted germplasm for Afghanistan's diverse agro-ecological zones. As part of the genetic resources repatriating process seed samples of 41 barley land races and 250 kg seed of several cereal and legume landraces have been sent back to Afghanistan.
To initiate a farmer-based seed multiplication system, 260 MT of seed has been distributed to 821 farmers in 7 provinces. This is the first step in the establishment of private village seed enterprises aimed at bringing seed self-sufficiency. Farmers will be assisted and trained in seed production practices, including marketing and financial management. These farmers' seed multiplication fields will provide approximately 5000 MT seed of adapted crop varieties. Six mobile seed cleaning machines, specifically designed for use at the farmer level, have been established in Kabul, Nangarhar, Kunduz, Baghlan and Takhar to support the community based seed activities. Five more cleaning machines are currently being manufactured.
To provide Afghan farmers with quality potato seed, CIP has provided a total of 22 tonnes quality potato seed of adapted varieties from Pakistan and India, which have been introduced to Afghan farmers for further multiplication.
A workshop to develop 'Guiding Principles for Production of Seed and Planting Material and Seed Import to Afghanistan' was held 21-23 May 2002 in Kabul. Guiding principles for seed production and distribution were formulated. Moreover, a draft National Seed Policy and Seed Law has been submitted to the Government and the Consortium is in the process of translating the documents into the national language. Both the National Seed Policy and the Seed Law take into account specific conditions in Afghanistan, but also consider the need for its integration with developments that are taking place in the seed industry around the world. To assist the government in carrying out its regulatory function, the Consortium has purchased appropriate seed testing and seed health testing equipment, rehabilitated the required buildings and installed the equipment.
Human Resources Development
The first in-country training course on seed production was held in July 2002
for 70 participants focusing on varietal identification, seed multiplication
and seed health to improve the seed quality aspects. Several training activities
have taken place in potato seed multiplication and Afghan staff has participated
in Sun pest training in Iran. Training activities planned for seed production
and marketing, seed quality assurance, research station management and operating
meteorological equipment/stations are being implemented. It should be noted
that on-the-job training is a permanent feature in places where research stations
are supported.
A senior Afghan staff attended a Regional Review of Seed System and Regulations in Iran to acquaint himself with trends in seed industry development. A.J.G. van Gastel, Seed Unit, ICARDA, P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria; E-mail: a.vangastel@cgiar.org
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