Saffron: Another Viable Alternative to Poppies

In addition to pomegranates, saffron is another viable alternative to opium for Afghan farmers. Saffron cultivation has been a part of Afghan culture for more than 80 years, but lack of experience and equipment for processing and packaging for export has prevented the country from making it a primary cash crop.

Growing saffron in exchange of poppies is supported by international groups and the local government. For instance Italian aid group has donated 60 tons of crocus bulbs and is engaging in training Afghans how to grow and harvest the plants. Saffron is a much more profitable crop than poppies, with one kilogram of the spice fetching about 350,000 yen on the world market. An average farmer could produce around three kilograms of spice per single hectare of land they grow the flowers.

One drawback is that growing saffron is land and labor intensive, requiring about 150,000 flowers to make one kilo of spice. Though, once planted the crocus bulbs will continue to sprout and grow for six years, cutting the labor required in subsequent years. Until recently, Afghan farmers wishing to sell their crop abroad relied on Iranian processing and packaging companies. Now, small businesses are beginning to emerge, increasing the incomes of farmers as well as employing many women to work in the processing stage.

While obtaining saffron bulbs and building up their production to meet international standards is a long and difficult road to travel, the effort by farmers and citizens of areas such as Herat will surely be seen in the in the stability and increase in living standard for Afghanistan.

World Bank to give $35 million for water management in Afghanistan

This recently came up in a news article on Good Afghan News so I did a bit more research into it on the World Bank's website. The water management program is centered around helping farmers. More specifically the $35 million are aimed at improving the irrigation systems to be less wasteful with the goal of increasing farm yield and supplying more farmers with water. 

The Afghan Ministry of Agriculture is developing about fifteen new farms around the improved irrigation systems the World Bank project. The goal is to showcase and physically test the new systems to find the most cost effective and feasible system for use on a mass scale in the country. Aside from these pilot farms, the money will go into rejuvenating the existing infrastructure. In all the project will take about three years to be completed.

The WB has taken into account all possible detrimental environmental and social impacts of this proposal and determined methods to avoid any. Orders have been put in place to deal with pollution by integrating silt collectors and special washing areas to keep animal waste out of the water supply. Also measures have been taken to avoid deforestation and deterioration of the soil. Of course the World Bank realizes for this plan to be effective they will have to integrate the community into the new development. Plans have been made to train the farmers, and women of the community, in how to use the new equipment and preserve water and developing a secure payment system for sharecroppers.

With the implementation of this new program, more farmers will be able to access the water supply they need to produce a bigger harvest.