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USAID/Afghanistan: From the American People

Alternative Development

Objective: Accelerating regional economic growth to provide licit alternatives to poppy production

Overview Program Description Activities FAQs Photo Gallery

Ongoing Activities

Accelerating regional economic growth to provide licit alternatives to poppy production

Completed Activities

Accelerating regional economic growth to provide licit alternatives to poppy production

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 Alternative Development

The USAID-managed Alternative Livelihoods Program is one piece of a five-part US Government program targeted to eliminate poppy production, increase licit crop activity and raise agriculture contribution to GNP.

Map of Afghanistan

Learn more about Afghanistan USAID activities by province

FY02-FY06 AL Spending: $315 M
FY07 AL Budget: $229 M
(incl. supplemental request)

Accomplishments

Cash for Work 

  • Through the expansion of legal activities, the ALP created over 7,900 full-time jobs
  • Over $25 million in wages to more than 250,000 farmers have injected significant cash into a struggling rural economy and provided a viable alternative to poppy cultivation
  • Over 5,000 km of irrigation canals and underground water channels (karez) cleaned and restored
  • Over 230,000 hectares of land improved through irrigation
  • 580+ km of rural roads built or repaired
  • Countless flood protection walls built to protect farmers’ lands from yearly floods and protect vital roads from washing-out

Seed Distribution Programs

  • 550,000 farmers across all 34 Provinces received 40,000 metric tons of fertilizer and 14,000 metric tons of wheat seed
  • Over 375,000 farmers in the east, south and north have received vegetable seeds and fertilizer to date 
  • Over $17 million generated in sales from the vegetable seed program

Agribusiness Development & Assistance Provided to Farmers

  • Helping farmers produce more and to increase revenue from their licit crops.
  • Helped farmers plant 1,500 hectares of orchards in the east to revitalize that once booming sector of the economy (Example: apricot, apple, peach, plum, persimmon and almond)
  • 475,000 saplings distributed to 2,156 farmers
  • 2,800 ha of fruit orchards rehabilitated
  • Assisted over 4,200 farmers in improved fruit production, sorting, packaging and marketing
  • Raisin exports to Ukraine
  • 2 years, $1.4, 1300MT of Kandahari red Raisins (Dec 06)

Unions and Associations

  • Fresh Fruit Exporters Union of Kandahar
  • Dried Fruits Exporters Association

Fresh Fruit Exports to Dubai

  • Laghman Province exporter sent 1 MT sample, leading to 45 MT order (Dec 06)
  • Includes apples, oranges, pomegranates, limes and tomatoes
  • Packed by women’s group in Nangarhar Province

Last updated January 5, 2009

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