Monthly Report: Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East and West (IDEA-NEW)

Launched in March 2009, the program's mission is to support agribusinesses at different points of each value chain to improve market access, increase processing capacity and catalyze investments into Afghanistan's agricultural sector. IDEA-NEW continued project activities during the month of May, signing three matching grants with three food processing companies and one Live Radio Show grant with an ag-input supplier. The program also conducted Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan (PERSUAP) training for its ag-input suppliers in the eastern and central regions. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) training took place during the month, including a one-day workshop for 20 food processing companies and a 10-day training for seven of the companies. SMS marketing for agricultural input suppliers is a key activity of the IDEA-NEW program. The initiative provides grants to local ag-input suppliers to promote commercially sustainable agricultural information to farmers in a timely, cost-effective and efficient manner. During the month of May, SMS grantees sent 99 messages to 12,009 farmers, 561 retailers and 410 fruit nursery growers/associations in Kabul, Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar and Parwan provinces. SMS grantees also conducted 15 field days in Laghman, Nangarhar, Kabul and Parwan provinces, which included a total of 383 farmers, ten DAIL representatives and 41 retailers. Bakhtar Afghan Azizi Agriculture Services Company conducted a field day on May 28 for 30 farmers in Shela village of Kama district, Nangarhar province. The objective of this field day was to introduce the SMS marketing system to farmers and provide recommendations on chemicals and other control measures for common pests and diseases. Bakhtar Afghan also sent one SMS message about recommended control measure for seasonal pests to 2,500 farmers in Nangarhar, Kunar, and Laghman provinces. Now Bahar Salrzai LTD conducted a field day in Farmankhel village of Qarghayi district, Laghman province on May 14. A total of 34 farmers and two retailers participated in this field day, which primarily focused on introducing the SMS marketing system and its benefits and recommending control measures for common pests and diseases. During the month, Now Bahar sent 15 messages to 1,550 farmers and an additional six messages to 48 retailers in Nangarhar, Kunar and Laghman provinces. Help Agriculture Services Company conducted two farmer field days during the month of May. The first field day was held on May 18 in Deh Ghulam village of Qarghayi district, Laghman province for 23 farmers. The second field day was held on May 25 in Qarghayi district, Laghman province for 30 farmers. The objectives of these field days were to introduce the SMS marketing system to farmers and provide recommendations on chemicals and other control measures for common pests and diseases. The IDEA-NEW program has made significant progress in promoting agricultural development and alternative livelihoods for farmers in northern, eastern and western Afghanistan. The program's activities have improved market access, increased processing capacity and catalyzed investments into Afghanistan's agricultural sector. The program's SMS marketing initiative has also provided farmers with access to reliable sources of information and inputs, and strengthened the linkages between farmers and input suppliers.