Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/02/07

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Subject: [Leica] Agricultural Program, Helmand, Afghanistan
From: spencer at aotera.org (Spencer Cheng)
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 10:10:05 -0500
References: <f681deda1002070324w4eac452pe8c33db9263cf445@mail.gmail.com> <4D7061EF-600D-47EF-89E4-BD6460C8E667@aotera.org> <f681deda1002070632y6bdd6e05x2182fa43d2243376@mail.gmail.com>

Hi Wendy,

Some very tough rows to hoe indeed.

I would love to go back into that part of the world to take photos and to 
wander around a bit so I do wish you and Hugh and your colleagues lots of 
success.

A generation is far too short of a time span to change a culture so 
radically.

Regards,
Spencer

On Feb 7, 2010, at 9:32, Wendy Thurman wrote:

> I'm not an agricultural expert but it's my understanding the corn is for
> feed.  Fertilizer is a commodity that we are introducing; traditional 
> Afghan
> fertilizer has consisted largely of human waste.  Water itself isn't a
> problem- it's the movement of water that is problematic.  The farming
> experts I've spoken with tell me that the soil is very fertile if water can
> be routed to it.  We've been able to demonstrate that row cultivation along
> with judicious use of fertilizer can markedly increase production.  Other
> techniques are demonstrated on the farm- trellising for grapes yields many
> more kilos per hectare than simply letting the grapes go wild, for example-
> that are proven to increase yield and the local growers are very interested
> in these techniques.
> 
> The issue that confronts us is more complex than simply growing things- we
> look at value-chain management, infrastructure development, and other such
> components of a successful agrarian economy.  While our immediate, US
> Government-mandated objective is to decrease poppy cultivation, this is an
> involved process that requires a long-term educational effort.  That effort
> is further challenged by the facts that we are dealing with a functionally
> illiterate population heavily influenced by the Taliban.  Tough row to hoe,
> pun intended.



In reply to: Message from thurmanphoto at gmail.com (Wendy Thurman) ([Leica] Agricultural Program, Helmand, Afghanistan)
Message from spencer at aotera.org (Spencer Cheng) ([Leica] Agricultural Program, Helmand, Afghanistan)
Message from thurmanphoto at gmail.com (Wendy Thurman) ([Leica] Agricultural Program, Helmand, Afghanistan)