USAID Grants US$30 Million to Champion Afghan Farmers

KABUL, February 4 - Roots of Peace, a U.S.-based non-governmental organization, received
US$30,420,241 in grants from the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) last week to support rural farmers in Afghanistan's
eastern and southern provinces over the next four years.

Through USAID's Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing
Program (CHAMP), Roots of Peace will work with 26,000 rural farmers to double
their income from below subsistence levels.

The program helps farmers upgrade their crops from cereal crops and
poppies to grapes and pomegranates in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, as well
as apples, cherries and almonds in the South Central region.

In the south — Kandahar, Uruzgan, Helmand, and Zabul — the program
focuses on trellising existing vineyards which will double the farmers'
income within two years. Farmers will contribute US$4.5 million of their own
funds to pay the costs of the new orchards and vineyards.

Jalalabad was once a citrus production area. Years of war, neglect,
drought, and disease eliminated much of the production capability. The
USAID-funded CHAMP program will initiate the rebuilding of the citrus
industry.

"Agriculture is an important part of the Afghan life and helping Afghan
farmers is a top priority for both the Government of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan and the United States Government. We are pleased to be able to
help NGOs such as Roots of Peace promote agriculture in this country," said
USAID Mission Director to Afghanistan William M. Frej.

"The CHAMP program will offer Afghan farmers viable alternatives to opium
production and the chance to dramatically improve their economic situation.
Investing in Afghan farmers will lead to sustainable economic growth of the
southern region and the country," said Heidi Kuhn, founder and chief
executive officer of Roots of Peace.

A California-based humanitarian non-profit organization, Roots of Peace
(www.rootsofpeace.org) has been working in Afghanistan since 2003,
helping rebuild the Afghan agricultural industry.

Steven Susens of USAID, +93-(0)-799-794-674, ssusens at usaid.gov