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Orchard Establishment in the Eastern Region In the 2008 planting season RoP successfully finished the establishment of 1,503 Ha of perennial fruit orchards. Between April and June 2008 the extension staff re-visited all orchards giving technical advice to the farmers on how to take care about the recently established fruit trees. Roots of Peace is working in the Eastern Region of Afghanistan to establish 3,000 hectares of fruit orchard. This project is funded by USAID. The Client is Development Alternatives International (DAI) and Roots of Peace (RoP) is an implementing partner to DAI. This tells the story of our work over the last three months. In the 2008 planting season RoP successfully finished the establishment of 1,503 Ha of perennial fruit orchards. Between April and June 2008 the extension staff re-visited all orchards giving technical advice to the farmers on how to take care about the recently established fruit trees. In June, we also launched a training program for farmers about fruit orchard maintenance and marketing. Intercropping in the orchards is an essential component of the project. Our farmers received training and input for intercropping. As the result of that, the farmers harvested onion in May and established new vegetable and/or maize production during the last three months (April, May and June 2008). The target groups are those farmers capable and willing to establish orchards greater than 3 jeribs (3x0.2ha) in size. The realities of land ownership in Eastern Afghanistan is that the average farm size is less than 4 jeribs. We aim to improve the lives of the people in the eastern region: fruit and nut production is a profitable, alternative farm enterprise. That it is a better alternative than existing options is shown by the farmers’ decisions to invest in fruit and nut production. We can surmise that fruit and nut production makes better use of limited labor and management resources than more labor intensive farm enterprises. An important additional component is the project to increase massively intercropping production, which provides regular income to the farmer during the orchard development period. The importance of perennial fruit production has significantly increased in the region. The farmers show high interest to establish fruit orchards. It has exceeded the nursery production capacity of the region. RoP had to complete its sapling supply from other regions of the country.The project not only increased the fruit production capacity in the region, but it also created a good local market for private local nurseries. Fruit and intercropping helped to decrease radically poppy production. The net profit of fruit production per Jerib (0.2 hectare), according to the fruit type, is from $200 to $1,200 higher than the net profit of poppy production. Intercropping production was able to increase this amount with additional profit up to $500-$600 per year. During the last three months RoP farmers harvested 3,600 MT of onion. RoP started the development of virus resistant rootstock and virus free sapling and mother stock development for sweet orange production. The restoration of sweet orange production is one of the most promising opportunities for the region. The production capacity goes up to 3,000 ha. Training of farmers and extension agents is crucial for success. Training farmers about marketing and facilitate meeting between farmers and merchants helps to increase market activities and market information exchange. It also reduces the vulnerability of the farmers. Farmers Stories Surviving without poppy Mohibullah son of Mohammad Ali is one of the ADP-E-ROP beneficiaries in Joi-25 Shin War District, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. Mohibullah is disabled. In the past poppy production was his only option to have some income and maintain his family. When the poppy production was prohibited by the government he and his children faced an uncertain future. ROP staff first contacted him in early December 2007. He was somehow skeptical about his participation in the orchard establishment program. Now, due to the good quality of the saplings, technical assistance provided by ROP and the input provided for intercropping, he earns a better income than from the poppy cultivation. “I am happy now. The income that I received for my product is higher than the money that I made cultivating poppy. Our life and my family wellbeing improved this year. Even I think to send my daughter and son to the school. With the income that I have now, I will able to give education to my children.” There is a future for us Mrs. Hassan Bib is one of war-stricken ladies who have lost their husband and has to raise her children alone. She was unable to find any way to have legal income and sustain her family. What a difference Zainullah is a farmer in Fatih Abad village, Surkhrod District, Nangarhar Province. Producing vegetables is not a new business for Zainullah. He did it before and he will continue doing it in the future. He is a farmer and this is his business. The only change that happened is that he earns much more money now than before. “In the past I had not the possibility to have good quality seeds and fertilizer. But now, with the help of RoP I harvested a double yield than the last year. If you see the onions, they are huge size. I could double my income, when I sold it. My family is really happy. Attending the school by my children is no longer a problem. From this income we can effort it.”
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