Grapevines Replacing Landmines in Afghanistan

The Embassy of Afghanistan, Washington DC: e-Newsletter

August 4, 2005

Afghanistan is rapidly recovering from being one of the most mined countries in the world as a result of the successful landmine clearance programs funded by the international community. Hosted by Roots of Peace in Napa Valley, California, Government and Media Relations Officer Ashraf Haidari spoke at three public events on landmines in Afghanistan this past weekend. He joined Nobel Laureate for Peace Jodi Williams, Roots of Peace Founder Heidi Kuhn, and a group of other distinguished humanitarians to speak against the use of landmines in the world. Haidari said, "We have more than one million disabled in Afghanistan most of whom are victims of deadly landmines that need to be replaced by opportunities for the disabled to enjoy life in peace and prosperity."

He appreciated the work of Roots of Peace in Afghanistan where it implements a major USAID-funded project that de-mines gardens in Shomali and Kandahar and grows grapevines there to create sustainable livelihoods for the farmers and their families. As a pilot program in 2004, the project harvested 8 tons of grapes which Afghan traders assisted by Roots of Peace exported to India to find out the market demand. This year, the harvest is expected to be more than 800 tons of "sweet Afghan grapes" which will be marketed locally and exported to India. The project owes its success to provision of training to Afghan farmers how to replant their land and involving the private sector to package, transport, and market the grapes domestically and abroad.