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UNDERSTAND LOCAL DIVERSITY TO DESIGN SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS

Are wheat seeds distribution programs suitable for all farmers in today’s Afghanistan?’ By Jean-Christophe Duchier, agronomist, junior researcher. UNDERSTAND LOCAL DIVERSITY TO DESIGN SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS. Plan. Research’s issues Baharak, a densely populated valley

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UNDERSTAND LOCAL DIVERSITY TO DESIGN SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS

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  1. Are wheat seeds distribution programs suitable for all farmers in today’s Afghanistan?’By Jean-Christophe Duchier, agronomist, junior researcher UNDERSTAND LOCAL DIVERSITY TO DESIGN SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS

  2. Plan • Research’s issues • Baharak, a densely populated valley • Which households’ diversity? • Which programs’ diversity?

  3. 1. Research issues • Are “wheat seeds distribution program” always relevant? • How to ensure a better integration of relief and development programs?

  4. 2. Baharak, a densely populated valley • Description • Agricultural history

  5. Baharak, a densely populated valley Where is it?

  6. Baharak, a densely populated valley Characteristics • Mainly irrigated fields • 50,000 inhabitants • Sub-urban area • Located on the main road crossing Badakhshan

  7. Baharak, a densely populated valley Three periods Government’s UN’s, NGO’s programs • Most of the infrastructures are destroyed • Lots of refugees come back • The central government has less power Wheat replaces grazing land Agropastoral period Cash crop including poppy are increasing in the cropping pattern • More people so: • Basic food needs increase • Land pressure increases Intensification is the natural evolution of this agriculture War and END of war (returnees and new consumption goods) • Low population density • Remote area General development (especially health, education) MORE and MORE people 1900 2005 1930 1979 • Minimum diversification (meat, bread, vegetable) • Priorities were given to livestock breeding thanks to the low land pressure • Less fallow and grazing land • Prority is given to cereals to cover the increasing food needs Land becomes extremely rare Land price are unaffordable

  8. 3. How to address the households’ diversity? • Typology as a tool • The land capital • The labour ratio

  9. Which households diversity? Why a typology? • To have a comprehensive view of the households’ diversity • To identify relevant projects for every types of farmers

  10. Which households diversity? Land ratio LAND ratio 1,25 jb/adult* LABOUR ratio * Adult = > 12 years old

  11. Why THIS typology? WHY 1.25 jb/adult? All data comes from 100 random interviews Wheat is the most important crop in the afghan “culture”. One adult eats 35 ser of wheat per year One jerib gives about 100 sers of wheat 35 / {(100-20%-25) / 2}= 1,25 • Wheat is a biennale crop. • Cost of production: 20 % and 25 sers One adult needs 1,25 jerib to be self-sufficient in wheat

  12. Big land owners 20% Small land owners 40% Landless 40% Which households diversity? Labour ratio LAND ratio Difficult to build up again the land capital because of land pressure Division of land during the transmission or Birth of children 1,25 jb/adult* Women’s work outside the compound is unusual in Baharak 1 male worker can support 2 other family members LABOUR ratio * Adult = > 12 years old

  13. Why 1 male worker can support 2 other adults? Basic food: 23 to 32 afs/day per adult Fuel, clothes are essential: (50 to 100 afs/day and per family) Daily salary: 150 to 300 afs/day. It is regarding the season, type of job... 3 adults need 75 to 100 afs per day for basic food and about 50-100 afs/day for fuel: 125 to 200 afs/day On day labourer: 150 afs/day On day labourer doesn’t work throughout the year One worker can at the least support 3 adults

  14. Lack of worker 80% Enough workers 20% Which households diversity? Change of family structure: birth of children LAND ratio Difficult to build up again the land capital because of land pressure Division of land during the transmission or Birth of children 1,25 jb/adult* 1 male worker can support 2 other family members LABOUR ratio * Adult = > 12 years old Change of family structure: The elders children are able to work

  15. Lack of worker Enough workers Big land owners Small land owners Landless 6 types of households 2 1 1,25 jb/adult 3 4 1 male worker can support 2 other family members 6 5 Women’s involvement in agricultural tasks Farming systems based on wheat • Households grow high-value crops • Households keep on farming wheat and resort to non farm activities Households able to produce surpluses or/and have enough domestic workers (30%) Non farm acrivities Credits and assets depletion (70 %)

  16. 4. Which programs’ diversity? • Development programs have to be diversified • Development programs should be flexible enough to integrate relief programs

  17. Lack of worker Enough workers Big land owners Small land owners Landless Which development programs? Programs have to involve women to get over the lack of male domestic workers Wheat seeds distribution programs are not efficient for these households. These programs prevent them to try out other cropping systems LAND ratio Since these households have enough male domestic workers, they are less receptive to this type of programs 2 1 Since these households are facing a lack of male domestic workers, they can be receptive to this type of programs 1,25 jb/adult* But, these cropping systems request lots of labour force 4 3 1 male worker can support 2 other family members LABOUR ratio 80% of households do not have enough land to produce an extra High value crops could be more adapted 6 5 Programs have to be adapted to the local diversity in order to be relevant and sustainable

  18. There are many factors which influence farmers. Each one has to be taken into account About poppy… Credit: Poppy allows access to credit Location: the government has more or less control Poppy chain is the most developed crop chain Decision making process Attracted to new consumption goods Crisis: war, drought, disease… Land ratio

  19. Lack of worker Enough workers Big land owners Small land owners 68% Landless Relief or development LAND ratio 2 1 1,25 jb/adult* 4 3 1 male worker can support 2 other family members LABOUR ratio 6 5

  20. NON FARM ACTVITIES FARMING ACTIVITY Benefits from development programs might be lost Relief programs NON FARM ACTIVITIES CREDIT ASSETS DEPLETION Activity system Households’ needs SHOCKS Non farm activities are non sufficient for the housholds facing a lack of male domestic workers Credits are expensive (debt burden) Development programs should be flexible enough to integrate relief programs

  21. Conclusion • Local diversity exists and has to be taken into account. (women example) • More field studies in order to understand the local diversity • Program design should be based on the local staff knowledge

  22. Thank you for your attention If you have any question….

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