JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - In an effort to help Afghanistan recover from economic devastation brought on by decades of war, the Missouri National Guard became the first to deploy an Agribusiness Development Team in 2007, with a mission of facilitating agricultural reconstruction and development in the Nangarhar Province.
Agriculture accounts for a large portion of Afghanistan's gross domestic product and most of the Afghan population is involved in farming, herding, or both, said Army Maj. Gen. Stephen L. Danner, adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard.
"The Missouri National Guard recognized that the key to victory in Afghanistan isn't just through engaging the enemy, but in making our allies economically independent and self-sufficient," Danner said. "Our teams have forged a relationship built on trust and respect with our Afghan partners, and together we've transformed the Nangarhar Province. We've helped the people there gain a bigger stake in their economic future and laid the foundations for what we hope will one day be a thriving agricultural economy."
The teams, known as ADTs, have had their work cut out for them. Decades of war, drought and security challenges have devastated the country's agriculture. Still coping with the 1979 Soviet invasion and the successive Taliban rule after the Soviets left the country, the nation's agricultural output had decreased dramatically when the program was launched.
The first team sent was comprised of Soldiers from 16 different units in Missouri. The Guard members who volunteered for this mission not only possessed a broad spectrum of military skills, but also were selected based on their civilian-acquired farming skills and agribusiness knowledge.
"Since that first Agribusiness Development Team went to Afghanistan five years ago, other states have seen the success of the program and have started their own teams with Missouri leading the way," said Missouri Gov. Jeremiah Nixon, during a recent Missouri National Guard ADT VI departure ceremony.
More than a dozen states to include Texas, Kentucky, Indiana, Oklahoma, California, Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa and California now have ADTs in Afghanistan to provide help to the Afghan people.
Teams partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Missouri Farm Bureau, University of Missouri, and the National Guard Bureau, to name a few, as reach backs while deployed for farming expertise and guidance for unique Afghan agribusiness situations. These organizations also help with pre-deployment training, including water and soil conservation and management, animal husbandry, orchard management, alfalfa and wheat production, vegetable production, agriculture marketing, extension programs and education, and irrigation techniques and efficiency.
"The mission of ADT V is to partner with our Afghanistan counterparts involved in agriculture, foster an atmosphere of education and learning, coach, teach and mentor our Afghan officials to regain knowledge and confidence in their own processes, assist in empowering our counterparts to do what is right for the province and the people, and to allow for advancement and improvement in the quality of life for the Afghan farming community," said Lt. Col. Brent Beckley, ADT V commander.
"Behind this is a commitment to ensure there are supporting Afghan government agencies and programs that can continue to provide support post-transition," Beckley said. "We have to ensure the recommendations and solutions we provide today are sustainable to their standards."
As the teams get acquainted and build rapport with the Afghan people, the mission changes and advances with each new rotation. In Nangarhar Province, many Afghans are familiar and have come to trust the bear patch worn on the left sleeve of the Missouri Guard members' uniforms, Nixon said.
Col. David Boyle, commander of ADT II, said Missouri's first ADT did a wonderful job presenting the ADT concept to local district and community leaders. That led to his team being well received and cared for by virtually all local communities.
Beckley said the Missouri Soldiers and Airmen are welcomed with open arms and not just by the farmers but also by Afghan officials associated with agriculture, academic professionals, business owners, and provincial level leadership.
"Not just now, but all the ADT teams have been received in the same manner," he said. "We are all dressed the same, drive the same vehicles and yet the public readily knows the difference between those of us on the ground focused on security, and those to promote sustainability and growth in agriculture."
Missouri's first teams focused mostly on the construction of needed resources in Afghanistan. ADT II focused on building large gabion-style check dams in the mountains to control snow melt flooding and downstream farmland erosion; solar powered micro-irrigation wells; solar powered micro-facilities like slaughter houses, greenhouses and cold storage facilities; and improved wheat distribution.
"Solar powered micro-irrigation wells allowed remote communities too poor to fund generator fuel to obtain water and grow crops," Boyle said. "Cold storage facilities were built to allow communities better control over local markets where Pakistani businesses had previously dictated pricing practices which were hindering local Afghan farmers."
ADT V's projects have included the rehabilitation of village irrigation canal systems; quality control for larger area watershed restoration; regeneration and/or promotion of micro-level agribusiness like cotton production, fish production, sugar cane processing, poultry production, veterinary services, seed oil processing and peanut processing; establishment of saffron research test plots at area agriculture high schools; project management for construction of an Agriculture High School, an irrigation canal retaining wall/intake, on-going construction of an Agriculture Information Center to house the Agriculture Extension Agent's office, and rehabilitation of an agriculture department learning center for the Nangarhar University Ag Department.
The team is also designing projects for a protection wall for an AEA office, construction of an Agriculture Information Center, and irrigation rehabilitation for 12 tertiary canal systems.
As time progresses, the team's focus has changed; transforming from military-led, to civilian-led, and ultimately ending in Afghan-led.
"Projects are also not just the physical act of building something," Beckley said. "We have been involved with providing a monthly educational seminar series to the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock staff addressing best practices in agronomy, horticulture, food preservation, animal health/nutrition, and food safety."
Training support packages and tools or other teaching aids were provided with the expectation of the AEA using these same resources to conduct the educational training to the farmers of their districts. A series of books also were provided as useful textbooks to aid in small group instruction by the extension agents.
As a means to improve agriculture education and linkage between the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock's office and supporting higher education, the continued development and instruction of the seminar series of training was turned over to the Nangarhar University Agriculture Department.
"The purpose of the small scale agriculture-related projects were used as the training catalyst to demonstrate to the AEA how to engage with farmers, identify issues or concerns, develop solutions, a supporting budget, and basic project management skills thereby increasing their capacity to provide a service to the Afghan farmers," Beckley said. "Obviously, the irrigation rehabilitation efforts promoted an increased volume of water to better support agriculture production or a reintroduction of water in areas previously absent of adequate water to support agriculture growth. The training was the easiest to support because it required little effort but could yield the most benefit and reach a larger mass of people."
Missouri's fifth team has been overseas since March 2011 and will return after a battle hand off with the sixth team, under the command of Lt. Col. Andre Edison, which will leave for Afghanistan soon.
Many of the Soldiers and Airmen that are deploying with team six have deployed before, including Sgt. John Larsen Jr., of Nevada, who deployed with the second and fourth teams.
These members that have deployed on other teams are the quickest indicator when noticing the difference the teams are making in Afghanistan.
"Every one of them have commented on more green space, more activity in the bazaars, more produce available, more growth in general," Beckley said. "Progress can also be measured in evaluating businesses that have received support or assistance in the past and to see them remain in business and grow. You can also see growth in the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock's ability to provide transparent leadership and his staff's motivation to learn and do more."
In such an impoverished and ravaged country, most are desperate for assistance in any form.
"The immediate assumption is help comes in the form of money and oftentimes that is the first request," Beckley said. "Once you take the time to sit and talk to the people, working through their plethora of issues and get to the root cause of the issue, a more practical solution can be discovered. Most support is small but effective and very much appreciated. Most just need encouragement, support and a little information."