"POPPIES TO PRODUCE" IN AFGHANISTAN: ROOTS OF PEACE PLANTS ONE MILLION TREES!

Market Forces Join Military Forces to Double the Agricultural Income for Afghan Farmers

June 10, 2009—Washington, D.C.—Roots of Peace, a U.S. based non-profit organization, has completed the planting of 1.2 million fruit and nut trees and grape vines on Afghan soils. This planting is part of a strategic effort to increase rural farm income in the wake of years of conflict and competing illicit crops. The almond, cherry, pomegranate, citrus, apple, apricot and grape plantings will increase rural farm income 2–3 times their current income—higher than income from poppy crops. This announcement was made at the Afghan/American Chamber of Commerce meeting hosted at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C.

Roots of Peace has been working in Afghanistan to bolster the perennial crop industry since 2003. The work has included establishing nurseries, new orchard plantings, processing facilities, capacity building and export marketing programs. The efforts, focused on assisting farmers to shift from annual crops such as wheat, corn and poppy to perennial crops, provide increased income for farmers and merchants and add to the permanent “re-greening” of Afghanistan—a country 80% dependent upon agriculture. Through this work we have documented the relative impact of the differing crops, including poppies. Many farmers assume that poppies are the best crop to grow in Afghanistan, but this is simply not correct. Today, Roots of Peace has published on its website a paper documenting how Afghan farmers are planting alternative agricultural crops to poppies. The favorable income generated by growing licit crops is helping to harness market forces to move Afghan farmers from poppies to pomegranates. In addition, farmers are growing almonds, grapes, cherries, apricots, sweet oranges and other perennial crops. The paper, “Comparative Net Income From Afghan Crops”, can be found at www.rootsofpeace.org/resources.

Working with funding from USAID, USDA, US DOD, EC and private donors, Roots of Peace has now planted over 1.2 million trees in the volatile East and Southern regions, along with the Northeastern region. The planting program was part of the USAID Alternative Development Program, USDA’s Food For Progress Program, DOD’s PRT Programs and EC’s Perennial Horticulture Development Program.

Roots of Peace is a San Rafael, CA based non-profit organization whose mission is to rid the world of landmines and other remnants of war and transform minefields into thriving farmland and communities. Roots of Peace has worked in Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia, Cambodia, Croatia, Iraq and Vietnam. .

1299 Fourth Street, Suite 200 San Rafael, CA 94901 • Tel: 415.455.8008 • www.rootsofpeace.org