Announcement

Better Storage Helps Farmers Replace Poppy with Potatoes

USAID-constructed root cellars enable farmers to sell potatoes throughout the winter.

Faizabad, Afghanistan  | Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Photo: USAID/ASAP

A USAID-built cellar in Badakhshan Province.

When USAID introduced a new potato variety in northern Badakhshan province, the area’s farmers experienced an explosion in new yields. The high-quality potato seeds improved production by 204 percent, providing another incentive for farmers to reject poppy production in favor of the lucrative potato market. Four years ago, more than 15,600 hectares in the province were covered with opium poppy.  Today, less than 200 hectares are devoted to opium cultivation.

To help sustain this bountiful crop, USAID has constructed 15 root cellars in the province, helping farmers store up to 250 metric tons of seeds and root vegetables throughout Badakhshan’s long winter. The cellars, available to members of USAID-funded agricultural cooperatives, will protect the seeds from the extreme weather, reducing the amount lost by nearly 50 percent.  The ability to store the harvested potatoes will mean that farmers can sell the root vegetables at a higher profit during the cold winter months and that next spring they will have plenty of high-quality potato seeds to sell and plant.