22 February 2010 - The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is running a poultry project for 2,000 families in Kunduz and Takhar provinces.

The project will cover 2,000 more beneficiary families in Kunduz and Baghlan provinces.

A 12-day-training session was recently held for 22 women poultry trainers. The trained participants will then teach the beneficiaries in Imam Sahib district of Kunduz on how to manage their poultry farms.

“The object of this project is to increase the family’s income, to raise and promote the standard of poultry in Afghanistan, and to reduce poverty. We develop the poultry production level and train the women on how to earn more money with small capital,” said Ebdullah Azizi, the head of FAO in Kunduz.

“As studies show, Afghanistan, annually, pays US$ 170 million for imported chicken and eggs. So let’s save this money by promoting the standard of poultry production inside the country,” added Mr Azizi.

“For the first time, the beneficiaries receive 15 pieces of pullets, a wire mesh, a feeder and drinker from FAO. Then they created their poultry co-ops and, by selling their production in the market, they promote their poultries” said Dr Abdul Qadir Noori, FAO Kunduz national poultry officer.

Zainab, a trainer, says she has taught almost 8,000 women in the north-east region since 2004.

“When the women begin their work, their economical situation is bad. But by promoting their farms, family life gets better,” she said.

She adds that training has taught the participant to protect their hens against diseases, and how to sell and market their production.

“Agriculture is the foundation stone of a society. By promoting the family life, we can develop a strong society. So the poultry project is a better way for having strong families and a strong society,“ said Sayed Azam Urfan, the acting director of Kunduz Agriculture and Livestock Department.

According to Mr Urfan, the cooperatives function as the connecting bridge between the beneficiary families and society.

“We support them on marketing and finding poultry feed,” he added.

“The families who already have poultry farms, they have reached economical self-sufficiency,” said Sayed Amir, the head of KohiNoor Foundation, a partner NGO.

By Shamsuddin Hamedi, UNAMA

Website: FAO in Afghanistan

Website: Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock