OVERVIEW

USAID’s Kandahar Food Zone (KFZ) program works to help rural farmers in targeted districts of Kandahar earn legitimate, non-poppy- based incomes. The program creates licit economic opportunities by providing small grants for irrigation canals and alternative livelihoods training for local farmers. Additionally, KFZ builds the ability of the Ministry of Counter Narcotics to manage its own alternative livelihoods programs, and pilot successful models of alternative development to effectively promote licit alternatives to opium production. This includes rehabilitating irrigation infrastructure, enhancing water management capacity, improving crop yields, and managing greenhouses efficiently.

ACTIVITIES

• Improve irrigation management systems and rehabilitate existing irrigation infrastructure
• Undertake alternative development activities that target existing and new perennial crops, improve yields, and share best practices in greenhouse management
• Improve Government coordination and build capacity of local government staff in the areas of rural development and agriculture

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Rehabilitated 17 irrigation canals in Zharai and Panjwayi districts (totaling 218 kilometers), which provide water to more than 27,000 hectares of farmland and benefit more than 22,000 households. Rehabilitating the canals and infrastructure construction activities created more than 50,000 person-days of employment.
• Introduced intercropping and trellising activities on 542 hectares of agricultural land
• Established 47 greenhouses  where farmers produce seedlings and offseason vegetables to generate year-round income
• Completed 33 alternative livelihood activities (such as vegetable production and processing, vocational masonry, establishment and management of greenhouses, pre- and post-harvest marketing and a solar drying mechanism for fruit and vegetables) in seven districts with a total of 777 beneficiaries. These activities improved farmers’ knowledge and skills concerning alternative development opportunities from which they can increase their incomes
• KFZ's coordination with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan led to publication by the Ministry of Counter Narcotics of its first gender policy document and ministry-wide anti-sexual harassment training.