United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the U.S. Embassy’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and Planning and Development (P&D) Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa held a groundbreaking ceremony for Agriculture Training Centers (ATCs) in the Merged Areas at the Serena Hotel, Islamabad.
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Funded by the U.S. government, these four training centers will be constructed in districts Bajaur, Khyber, Mohmand, and TorGhar. These districts are not only remote but also prone to insurgency, illicit trade, and violent extremism. The districts have also been characterized by widespread poverty, internal conflict, poor infrastructure, and weak institutional governance. Currently, there is a tendency in these districts to cultivate poppy, a crop that causes detrimental socio-economic impact and is illicitly traded, especially in the tribal areas adjoining Afghanistan.
Establishing training centers in these districts and providing training on cultivation of alternative crops will open new avenues of income generation to the people of these districts, which in the long run, will lead to elimination of poppy related business and other drug-related crime in KP.
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These training centers will promote agriculture cultivation by developing farmers’ skills and creating relationships between farms and enterprises, providing income and job opportunities for the long term. Agricultural information on timely land preparation, planting, weeding, irrigation, harvesting, storage, and marketing have always been central concerns to the farmers. The use of these training centers, especially through modern technologies, can improve the way farmers in these areas receive, exchange, and harness information.
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At the groundbreaking ceremony, INL Director, Mr. Mark Tervakoski said that the project will play a key role in disseminating agricultural knowledge and technologies and increase economic opportunities for people in KP. He stated “These centers will increase farmers and their family’s sources of income and expand employment opportunities, especially for women. Once these training centers are constructed, the KP government can train hundreds of farmers per year on high-value, licit crop production practices for years to come.”
UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Knut Ostby mentioned that these centers and modern agriculture technology trainings will strengthen the skills of farmers and give them access to information in technology that will open new avenues for them. “This project will play a key role in disseminating knowledge, technologies and agricultural information as well as linking farmers with other stakeholders in the economy. The training centers will play a crucial role in transforming transitional subsistence farming to modern commercial and agriculture farming to promote household food security, improve incomes, and reduce poverty,” he said. He further added that the construction of these training centers will serve as a reference point and example for other districts as well.
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The Director General Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) Mr. Sohail Khan thanked UNDP and INL for their continued support and extended full support of the P&D during the construction. “These districts are a top priority of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and we appreciate INL and UNDP’s support. This initiative will lead to economic and social development of these district and will help in the curtailment of poppy and trade of other heinous drugs,” he said.
