Agricultural Priorities

Agricultural Priorities(Download)

 

AGRICULTURAL PRIORITIES

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, IRRIGATION AND LIVESTOCK

November, 2010

 

AGRICULTURAL PRIORITIES

  1. National Development Plan for Nomads
  • Voluntary Settlement Support Plan
  • Sustainable Pastoral Livelihood Support & Pasture    

  Improvement Mechanisms

Economically and culturally the Kuchi population remains critical to the future development of Afghanistan, they are both a source of economic growth whilst being a vulnerable low-income population.  They are the major source for animal husbandry across the nation and are the main users of remote pastures and rangelands across the country.  This demand driven client orientated program focuses on 2 target groups among pastoralist nomads; 1) those continuing migration and require veterinary, animal husbandry and pasture services; and 2) those that wish to engage in sedentary lifestyles requiring housing and other infrastructures as well as establishment of sedentary livelihoods. Total Budget $75 million, current funding $0 million; shortfall $75 million.

  1. National Water Resources and Irrigation
  2. Irrigation construction
  3. Water Storage Facilities
  4. Water Management Principles

Agriculture cereal production excels in years of good rainfall, but more often it does not meet the needs of the Afghan people. Three main issues need to be addressed: 1) much water is wasted, and there is a lack of functional irrigation systems and water storage; 2) water sector interventions are not reaching maximum impact, due to a lack of planning and weak institutional and legislative frameworks; and 3) there is a lack of water storage facilities, so even in a year where we have significant rainfall or good snow melt we do not have facilities in the form of small/medium dams to contain the water. This component of the ARD Cluster National Priority Program 1, National Water and Natural Resource Development, has been structured to address these 3 issues. Total Budget $771 million, current funding $342 million; shortfall $429 million.

  1. Improved Agriculture Production and Farm Economics
  2. Research
  3. Inputs
  4. Cooperatives
  5. Strategic Grain Reserves

Agriculture starts with product; throughout Afghanistan, farmers must be protected from fluctuations in production. By providing quality input supplies and agricultural equipment, farmers can reduce the impact of adverse weather and other negative factors that may reduce production. Research is the brain of agriculture, while extension services are the muscles that carry information to the farmers and agribusiness. Through improving existing information systems and starting others from scratch, knowledge must be shared between all stakeholders. Farm economics can be improved by the strengthening of farmers’ cooperatives through the development of the institutional framework and the provision of logistic support. Afghanistan also needs emergency wheat stores to protect national, provincial, district and household food security during emergencies caused by drought or other crises including global price fluctuations. A joint public/private sector approach can renovate existing storage and handling facilities, after which the government can commercialize and regulate them. Total Budget $500 million, current funding $11 million; shortfall $489 million.

  1. Certification for Exports (Sanitary & Phyto-Sanitary Services)
  2. Construction and Equipping of 8 Plant & Pest and 8 Disease Diagnostic Laboratories
  3. Establishment of Border Inspection Stations
  4. Capacity Building of MAIL Staff

Afghanistan had an established export market of a number of agricultural products including raisins, nuts particularly pistachio, and pomegranate. However, due of years of war and lack of sufficient infrastructure and appropriate regulatory mechanisms throughout the value chain, the country has not able to take advantage of the potential markets for it unique agricultural products. Recognizing the importance of the market drive economy, the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL) has identified building its capacity in SPS programs as a key priority in strengthening Afghanistan ability to successfully compete in marketing its agricultural products.  MAIL is currently undergoing institutional changes to streamline its functions and to provide more effective and comprehensive public sector services. Total Budget $17.8 million, current funding $0 million; shortfall $17.8 million.

  1. Land Survey (Afghanistan Land Authority)
  2. Cadastral Survey
  3. Land Zoning
  4. Land Clearance

Land is one of the key factors in stimulating economic growth. In an agricultural based country such as Afghanistan, access to land for production and the establishment of agribusinesses is essential. For many years, land leasing and purchase has been a lengthy and cumbersome process. This bottleneck will now be addressed through the Afghanistan Land Authority (ALA). The ALA will greatly reduce the time and steps to lease or purchase land; increase the amount of land leased; increase government revenue; standardize leasing procedures; stop illegal land use; and most importantly, provide a transparent, accountable and efficient system for land management. This first phase will include a land inventory, cadastral survey, land zoning and land clearance.  Total Budget $60 million, current funding $7 million; shortfall $53 million.

  1. Community Based Forest Management
  2. Forest Land & Protected Areas Inventory, Planning and Management
  3. Soil Surveys
  4. Establishment of Community Based Organisations

Our forests and grazing land, soil and water resources are the foundation of the agricultural economy. Deforestation must be reversed, not accepted as a fact of life. Pastures and croplands can become more fertile and productive. Information about natural resources is scarce and will be developed in order to make informed decisions for the protection and preservation of natural resources.  Activities in natural resource management and development will take a community-based approach. Total Budget $77 million, current funding $0 million; shortfall $77 million.

  1. Institutional Reform and Capacity Building of MAIL
  2. Reform of Services and Departments
  3. Establishment of Ministry Functions

As an urgent and priority task the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) has embarked on an organizational reform and institutional capacity building process. MAIL is indeed committed to restore its service delivery capacity, which has largely been lost or seriously deteriorated during the past three decades of civil strife and unrest. Its organizational structure, including its decentralized structure, has to be revitalized. Its human resources have to be capacitated with updated knowledge and skills. Such a dynamic reform of MAIL is urgently needed in order to maximize the agricultural potential of Afghanistan and ensure sustainable development of the agricultural sector. The importance of agricultural development and food security in the context of the overall national security and development cannot be understated. Total Budget $112 million, current funding $34 million; shortfall $78 million.