Tuesday October 4, 2016
Kabul (BNA) The in-charges at the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, (MAIL) say they have arranged five years’ National Strategy (NS) and prepared natural infrastructural programs.
This is in a time that a number of economic experts regarded useful the economic programs and strategies set forth by economic experts and government related in-charges for improvement of agriculture situation. The experts add: Those programs and strategies are not only in the benefit of the people of Afghanistan but they believe this plan can also be effective in the growth of agriculture sector in Afghanistan. They conditioned to it that the government of Afghanistan should lay down necessary budget at the disposal of MAIL. In connection with natural resources and their impact on socio-economic situation of the country, an economic expert Ustad Massoud told that the greatest work at MAIL is arranging of water that plays important role in agriculture sector.
The government of Afghanistan should prepare more programs for arrangement and coordination of water in the country. Massoud added.
He said: changing of arid land into farmland, distribution of improved seeds for peasants are the important parts in agriculture sector that should be executed. This expert believes establishment of spring houses for protection of agricultural products and mechanization of agriculture in Afghanistan, searching market for offering of production of formers and horticulturalists is another part of the work that the MAIL should help farmers in the connection. According to Massoud, the five years strategy prepared by MAIL is a good one. It helps grow agriculture of Afghanistan.
But beside all these challenges faced by MAIL, the government should investigate to all. All these turn into necessary budget the MAIL to take in its disposal. The sector of agriculture of Afghanistan is also named as the sector of natural resources and is recognized as a greatest productive sector in the country that over 85 percent of our people produce their livelihood through it.
They play important role in the growth of national economy.
From land to pastures, forests and secure areas and all natural resources now are not in a good situation and it is the duty of government in-charges to make effort for protection of forests, wild life and other natural assets.
Forest should be rehabilitated and also the government should consider and protect the pastures in the country so the animal husbandry to feed with. Another experts in economic affairs, Azerakhsh Hafezi in the connection said that the agriculture of Afghanistan needs expansionist plans and policies and the only hope our farmers pin in it is financial supporting them through this sector as well as new education and awareness should be given to them in the sector of fruition and cattle-breeding. This helps improve agriculture in Afghanistan by peasants.
He believes that in the sector of arrangement of natural resources of Afghanistan, the strategy prepare by some experts for MAIL may be useful, but government should consider practical and better programs for improvement of natural resources in the country.
So the system of natural resources such as forests that sustained damages as a result of war and clandestine cutting should be rehabilitated.
At the same time, general president of natural resources, Mohammad Rafi Qazizada said: the purpose behind arrangement of this strategy is coordination of resources and changes of climate. He added: arrangement of natural resources, investigation to professional, social and economic problems are the priority of this program that attention would be focused to it within upcoming five years. Hinting to climate situation in the county, he added: investment should take place within next five years in water and climate of the country. Qazizada added: arrangement of natural resources is include of protection of forests, pastures and secure areas. Based on information of MAIL, this program is funded by expenditure of $324 million that would begin in 2017 and continue till 2021. With implementation of this program, tens unemployed would be employed.
According to MAIL in-charges, now, 2.8 percent of the country is covered by forests, 47 percent by pastures and 1.8 percent other by secure areas.
Shukria Kohistani
