OVERVIEW

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Afghanistan country strategy includes the promotion of long-term agricultural development and alternative livelihoods for farmers that results in a sustainable, thriving agricultural economy" and contributes to the U.S. Government's stabilization and counter-narcotics policy goals. USAID launched the Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East and West (IDEA-NEW) Program in March 2009. Its mission was to expand the licit agricultural economy in northern, eastern and western Afghanistan. Its activities supported agribusinesses at different points in each value chain to improve their market access, increase processing capacity, and catalyze investments in Afghanistan's agricultural sector. In the project’s final year, IDEA-NEW focused on intensive value chain development that promotes income generation and creating jobs in poppy-producing regions.

ACTIVITIES

• IDEA-NEW implemented five program components: 1) Agricultural Production, 2) Agricultural and Rural Infrastructure, 3) Access to finance, 4) Value Chain Integration, and 5) Rural Enterprise Development.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• 1,092,699 families benefited through community-constructed infrastructure projects and agricultural voucher programs, grants and capacity-building activities
• 499,588 farmers trained on approaches to increase agriculture productivity, and 2,503 government line staff trained in areas related to their work
• 38,202 of hectares agriculture land became productive under improved irrigation
• More than $8 million in agricultural production exports as a result of U. S. Government assistance
• Increased use of technology and improved management, affecting more than 9.4 million livestock
• 14,522 hectares of alternative crops cultivated in IDEA-NEW targeted area
• 2,503 government line staff participated in training activities
• 289 rural infrastructure projects completed
• Created 55,072 full-time equivalent jobs in agriculture, community-constructed infrastructure and rural-business development projects
• Business skills training provided for15,455 business owners (9,737 women)