Afghan woman to receive major courage award

Col. Shafiqa Quraishi

On International Women’s Day, March 8th, Col. Shafiqa Quraishi will be in Washington, D.C. to receive the U.S. State Department 2010 International Women of Courage Award. Col. Quraishi will be one of ten award recipients from nominees submitted by 72 countries. The award will be given to her by the U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Col. Quraishi was chosen “for her bravery and willingness to overcome cultural obstacles to achieve her position in Afghanistan,” according to a NATO press release.  Co. Quraishi is the chief of the Gender and Human Rights Division in the Afghan National Police.

Co. Quraishi today attended an event dedicated to women hosted by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior. The event attendees celebrated International Women’s Day, and honored the women serving in their ranks. The Ministry also inaugurated a Gender Complaints Registration Office. According to the Ministry, the office will give the women working in the Ministry the ability to file complaints of discrimination. Currently, there are over 900 women working in the Ministry of Interior and plans are underway to hire more.

March 4, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Women's Rights

Fighting malnutrition and rebuilding Afghanistan’s food industry at the same time

Soybeans

The United States Department of Agriculture, and various organizations such as the American Soybean Association (ASA) who are involved in the promotion of soy will come together to implement a project worth $26 million dollars in Afghanistan. The project aims to fight against malnutrition and help rebuild Afghanistan’s food industry. ASA Board member Scott Fritz, a soybean producer from Winamac, Indiana says in a press release: “We are excited to help Afghan farmers rebuild their infrastructure while we make healthy food available to their fellow citizens and to build a market for soy. Diets will improve and soy consumption will increase as Afghan agriculture and the local economy develops. When this happens, everybody wins.” 

Under the project, Afghanistan will be provided with 240 metric tons of defatted soy flour over the next three years to meet the immediate nutritional needs of thousands of Afghans. There will also be shipments of 6,000 metric tons of soybeans over three years, so Afghan soybean processing facilities can use the soybeans to produce soy flour and soybean oil for consumption by the local market.

Soy is a cheap and healthy source of protein.  A California based organization, Nutrition and Education International Inc. (NEI) has been encouraging small bakeries in Afghanistan to use 10 percent soy flour in the production of Afghan bread (naan). Dr. Steven Kwon who is a nutrition scientist and the founder of NEI says, “Adding 10 percent soy flour increases the absorbable protein of the naan by 110 percent.”

March 4, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development

Rebuilt runway inaugurated

Mazar-e-Sharif

Afghan TV reported today that the newly built runway of Mazar-e-Sharif Airport was inaugurated yesterday. Mazar-e-Sharif is the capital of Balkh province. The rebuilt runway will make flying in and out of the airport much safer.  The rebuilt runway is 3,300 meters long and 60 meters wide.  The funding (30 million Euros) to rebuild the runway came from the governments of Germany and Saudi Arabia.

March 3, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Reconstruction and Development

Anti-opium strategy going in the right direction

Opium Poppy

The Afghan government with help from the United Nations, and other countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom is trying to greatly lessen or completely remove Afghanistan’s dependence on opium farming. To achieve this goal, the players involved are shifting the anti-opium strategy. Before the focus was heavily dependent on eradication, now the strategy will also involve interdiction and alternative agriculture.  There will be much more effort in assisting Afghan farmers with planting alternative crops, including cereals. According to a report published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),  opium production in Afghanistan has fallen from 8,200 tonnes in 2007 to 6,900 tonnes in 2009.

March 3, 2010 · admin · 2 Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development

Major tree-planting drive in Afghanistan

Photo - Jawad Jalili/UNAMA

In order to combat soil erosion, desertification, and help improve air quality in Afghanistan’s urban areas, a major tree-planting drive will implemented this year. The goal is to plant up to 25 million seedlings (young trees) – mostly in and around urban areas. An official from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Abdul Majid Qarar told the United Nations news service, IRIN that: “We must revitalize forests and expand green areas because they are essential for the future of our country.”

March 1, 2010 · admin · One Comment
Posted in: Environmental Issues, Reconstruction and Development

Major deal signed to buy pomegranate juice from Afghanistan!

Pomegreat Juice

A major juice company from the United Kingdom, Pomegreat, has signed a deal worth £3 million a year to buy pomegranate juice from Afghanistan.  In a press release sent out today, Adam Pritchard, Chief Executive of Pomegreat Ltd said: “Being given the chance to source the best pomegranates in the world, from their spiritual home is something I couldn’t overlook. The Afghan pomegranate is the best in the world…” Pomegreat signed the deal with an Afghan owned company called Omaid Bahar.  It owns Afghanistan’s first fruit processing facility.  It opened in October 2009 and it is based in Kabul. Mustafa Sadiq, owner of Omaid Bahar said: “I am proud to have built this factory and the commitment from Pomegreat gives me great hope for the future that I can fulfill the needs of international markets with our superior production of juice.” 

Deals like this will help to increase exports, create jobs and improve the livelihood of many Afghans. Omaid Bahar buys fruit from 50,000 Afghan farmers from such provinces as Kandahar, Helmand, Wardak, Ghazni, Paktya, Farah and Kapisa.

Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants – more than even green tea.  Several recent studies have shown that pomegranate juice may help prevent certain types of cancer, it lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) and raises HDL (good cholesterol), and it also lowers blood pressure.  It’s both nutritious and tastes great as well.

March 1, 2010 · admin · 4 Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Job Creation

More species come under protection

Mustafa Zahir, NEPA director-general

Back in June 2009, Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) officially released the country’s first ever list of protected species. The list, just like similar ones in the western world protects certain species of animals and plants that are endanger of becoming extinct from illegal hunting and harvesting. NEPA also puts together recovery plans for these threatened species. The list already contains such species as the snow leopard, brown bear, Paghman salamander, and the Himalayan elm tree. When the list was announced in 2009, the list contained 33 species.

Today, in a press conference, the director-general of Afghanistan’s National Environment Protection Agency, Mustafa Zahir, announced that 15 more species has been added to the list,  including the recently rediscovered “rarest bird”, the large-billed reed warbler. Besides the large-billed reed warbler, seven mammals, a tree, and six other birds were added. The large-billed reed warbler is so elusive that it had been documented only two other times before in more than a century. It was first spotted in 1867 in India, then in 2006 in Thailand. Recently, the bird was found breeding in the remote, peaceful Wakhan Corridor in northeastern Afghanistan. Afghanistan has now a total of 48 species on the protected list, and there are plans to add more.

February 28, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Environmental Issues

Afghan cricket team return home to joyous welcome

(AFP/Shah Marai)

“Our national cricket team returns home today and we have come to show them our appreciation for their achievement and to further encourage them.” — Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, finance minister and Afghan Cricket Board chairman

 Click here to see more photos.

February 25, 2010 · admin · 2 Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

Kabul Currency Market Thriving

Here’s some good news related to Afghanistan’s economy and reconstruction.  EurasiaNet’s Monique Jaques writes in her article: 

“Over 30 years of nearly continual conflict has devastated Afghanistan’s economic infrastructure, but it has not been able to destroy the entrepreneurial spirit of some Afghans. A visit to Kabul’s currency exchange offers hope for the reconstruction process. 

…the currency exchange is more trusted in Kabul than many banks. He pointed out that even some of the more well-established financial institutions in the capital, including Kabul Bank and Afghanistan International Bank, trade currency at the exchange.”

Click here to read more.

February 24, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Reconstruction and Development

YES! Afghanistan comes from behind to defeat Canada!

Afghans celebrate win

After a tough four days of competition against the Canadian cricket team, the Afghan team pulled it together in the end, and handed the Canadians a loud defeat.  Afghanistan 264 and 494 for 4 (Shahzad 215, Nabi 80, Mangal 70) beat Canada 566 and 191 for 4 dec by six wickets at the Intercontinental Cup at Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.  Afghanistan is now on top the Intercontinental Cup table and is considered by many as one of the strongest associate nations.  Many cricket fans, worldwide, agree that the Afghan cricket team’s story of how they rose amongst the ranks is one of the most inspirational stories in cricket history.

Scoreboard: Canada (1st innings): 566. Afghanistan (1st innings): 264. Canada (2nd innings): 191. Afghanistan (2nd innings / overnight 40 for no loss): Karim Sadiq c Hansra b Rizwan Cheema 42, Noor Ali c Bastiampillai b Dhaniram 52, Mohammad Shahzad (not out) 215, Nowroz Mangal c & b David 70, Mohammad Nabi c sub (HS Baidwan) b Patel 80, Asghar Stanikzai (not out) 22. Extras: (b-5, lb-3, w-4, nb-1) 13. Total: (for 4 wickets; 106.4 overs) 494. Fall of Wickets: 1-70, 2-119, 3-282, 4-460. Bowling: Rizwan Cheema 22-0-119-1 (1w), Khurram Chohan 17-1-72-0, NR Kumar 8.4-1-43-0, S Jyoti 24-0-105-0, H Patel 8-1-47-1 (2w), S Dhaniram 11-2-30-1, R David 16-0-70-1 (1nb).

February 23, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News

Development Projects in the West and Northeast

FAO logo

In an attempt to further improve the transportation system in Afghanistan, Herat’s Rural Rehabilitation Department has begun work on the construction of a 20-kilometer road gravelling project in the Kushki Robati Sangi and Gulran districts. Also in Herat, 3000 saplings (young trees) have in planted in 40 schools. This will not only beautify the area, but improve the environmental conditions as trees are an important factor in a clean environment. Moreover, the Italian government has allocated 3 million Euros for various emergency cases in Herat, such as disaster prevention.

In the northeast (Kunduz and Takhar provinces), The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been busy training local women on improving the quality of their poultry production. The Afghan women are being taught how to protect their chickens from diseases, and how to sell and market their chickens and eggs. The United Nations has been involved in this project for more than a few years now. The goal is not only to increase quality poultry production in Afghanistan, but to improve the income and standard of living for those Afghans that depend on poultry production for their livelihood. For the full story, click here.

February 22, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghanistan's Economy, Job Creation, Reconstruction and Development

Afghanistan to be star attraction at bicycle race

Tour de Pakistan logo

Afghanistan will send six cyclists to participate in the 15th Tour de Pakistan.  The Tour de Pakistan, modeled after the Tour de France is a bicycle race race held in Pakistan in which riders cover 1,655 kilometres (1,028 miles). This year the race will begin on March 1st at Peshawar and end at Karachi on March 13th.  The price money is US $10,000. The French news agency, Agence France-Presse, cited an official from Pakistan’s Cyclist Federation which is staging the event, that Afghanistan will be the “star attraction” of the event.

February 20, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Afghan Sports News