The Alternative Agricultural Livelihoods Programme, funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and implemented by FAO and MAIL, started in July 2005 and closes at the end of December 2007.

AALP’s role has been to ensure that MAIL is able to play a leadership role in the mainstreaming of counter narcotics issues into Afghanistan’s agricultural development programmes: in support of the national counter narcotics strategy. The Director, Alternative Livelihoods Unit, MAIL is AALP’s National Project Director, and FAO have worked closely with him throughout the programme.

Reducing the production of opium is a priority concern for Afghanistan. According to UNODC, in 2007, the area under opium poppy cultivation was 1930,000 ha: up by 17% since 2006. This represents 93% of global opium production.

Following wrap-up workshops in Herat and Balkh provinces, AALP’s experience is being discussed with many stakeholders (the government, donors, NGOs and the private sector) at a workshop in Kabul today 22nd November 2007. The workshop’s aim is to contribute to the national effort to mainstream counter narcotics issues into licit agricultural production and national development in order to reduce opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. The key issues discussed include:

* Because opium poppy is so widespread, all development activities in rural Afghanistan have the potential to effect opium production and so it is necessary to understand the illicit opium economy.

* Efforts to reduce opium poppy cultivation face all the problems of rural and agricultural development. These include, for example, the generally weak enabling environment, shortages of rural credit, unavailability of good quality inputs (improved seed, fertilizer and chemicals), poor storage facilities, weak market linkages and a lack of development focus on rainfed areas and the livestock sector.

* Although co-ordination among stakeholders is improving at the national and provincial levels, further strengthening is required.

* Problems of coordination between law enforcement and development programmes remain.

Counter narcotics mainstreaming is designed to improve the coordination, design, implementation and monitoring of national development programmes so that they take counter narcotics issues into account and so help reduce opium production nationally.