The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (AIL) has criticized the implementation of certain EU-funded projects in Afghanistan.
The ministry’s spokesperson stated that Deputy Minister Sadr Azam Osmani, in a meeting with the EU’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, highlighted that much of the funds allocated for the Afghan people are spent through their own institutions’ projects.
Misbahuddin Mustaeen, spokesperson for the Ministry of (AIL), said: “Thomas Nicholson, the EU Special Representative, discussed the funding and implementation of EU projects and expressed readiness to collaborate for improving the living conditions of the Afghan people.”
The spokesperson said that Sadr Azam Osmani, referring to the significant reduction in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, called for support for farmers in cultivating alternative crops.
Meanwhile, the EU’s Special Representative for Afghanistan acknowledged the dependence of Afghanistan’s economy on agriculture, noting that the EU currently has agreements worth nearly 44 million euros in Afghanistan, benefiting close to one million people.
“Eighty percent of Afghanistan’s population is engaged in agriculture and livestock. The better our agriculture becomes, the more self-reliant we become in food production and agricultural investments. This will be very beneficial,” said Economic expert Esa Mobarez.
“The latest developments in agriculture from various countries, particularly those that have made significant advancements, could serve as valuable experiences for us,” said Economic analyst Shakir Yaqoubi.
According to the Ministry of AIL, the meeting covered topics such as poppy cultivation and its alternatives, increasing agricultural production, marketing Afghan products, easing project implementation, and supporting farmers and livestock owners.