KABUL (BNA) In an opening ceremony, Tika Turkish Foundation donated 20,000 fruitful seedlings, including apple, walnut, and orchard seedlings, to officials at the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock today in Kabul.
According to BNA reporter, Officials of Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock say the seedlings will be distributed to agriculturist in Kabul, Panjshir, Parwan, Maidan Wardak, Logar and Paktia provinces to develop horticulture and build new gardens.
Saadullah, head of Tika Foundation in Afghanistan, said the donated seedlings had been regained from Turkish farms and attained from improved seeds.
He added that they plan to distribute modified seedlings to research farms of some Afghan universities so that in addition to the expansion of horticulture and agriculture, scientific and research institutions can also research the seedlings.
The ambassador of Turkey, Cihad Ergiany, who was present at the ceremony, said that Afghanistan’s soil is very fertile and that attention to agriculture and horticulture can lead the country to self-sufficiency and economic growth.
He added that his country is cooperating with Afghanistan in the field of agriculture and is working to expand horticulture as an alternative to poppy.
At the ceremony, Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Rashed, Acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock of Afghanistan, while appreciating Turkey’s assistance in the agricultural sector, said that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan pays special attention to the agricultural sector, because the growth and development of agriculture leads to employment and economic growth.
Referring to the start of the “Qush tapae” canal, he said that with the operation of the project, thousands of hectares of land will be irrigated and the production of agricultural products will increase significantly.
Mawlawi Rashid called on the Turkish government to assist the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture in water management and livestock development.
The Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock is talking about plans to develop agriculture and horticulture, which today banned the cultivation and production of narcotics in Afghanistan by order of Sheikh al-Hadith Mawlawi Habtullah Akhundzadeh, Amir ul-Mominoon of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Ministry of Agriculture officials say horticultural development is a good alternative to poppy cultivation and drug production in Afghanistan.
Alamyar
