Agriculture Extension Agent Conference II

Purpose

TX ADT-V, in conjunction with USDA’s Mark Stull, hosted a second  Agriculture Conference for the Agriculture Extension Agents and Agriculture Extension Interns for Ghazni Province at the request, and sponsored by, the Director of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (DAIL) Sultan Hussein. 

Discussion

ADT-V and USDA conducted training on youth agricultural education, soil management, castration, vitamins and minerals needed for optimal livestock health, and care of goats during the winter.

Outcome

The agriculture professionals of Ghazni Province left with increased knowledge in livestock care and agricultural education for youth as well as with materials to help teach their local populations the same classes.  The project was driven by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA), and the responsibility for ongoing education programs will belong to the DAIL’s office. By developing a sustainable government in the agriculture sector the people will give more credibility to the officials and projects in their province and country. Agricultural output will increase because of the impact by the projects and consistency of everyday life (USG Goal 1.1)

This conference was a follow-up to a previously held agriculture conference held in November.  The amount of attendees doubled to 48 for this conference despite winter weather conditions.  This conference transferred the responsibility of hosting the conferences to the DAIL’s office, and was held off of FOB Ghazni.  Questions were asked after each class, allowing an open forum for the exchange of information across districts, tribes, and areas of expertise.

SGM Muckleroy teaches a class on the importance of youth agricultural education and the tools available for the classes.

Attendees take notes on the importance of castration and castration techniques.

Snow!

As you've all probably heard, we've had our first big snow here in Ghazni.  There have been dustings prior, but for us folks from Texas, almost 2 feet in a day and a half was a new experience! 

Check out the fun!

SSG Verdine stands in the snow outside the Ag Team office.

For a frame of reference, the roof is 10 feet tall.

Our Texas flag flying proudly over the snow.

Our motor pool about halfway through the snowfall.

PDSS Brings Snow With Them

Two great things happened this past week: our PDSS (Pre-Deployment Site Survey) arrived from TX ADT-6, and with them came the snow!  The arrival of the PDSS signals to us here in ADT-5 that the light at the end of the tunnel for our deployment is now visible, and the snow is both fun for us and brings hope to Ghazni that the end of their drought might be near.  We've had a whirlwind of a week trying to give our TX -6 representatives as much information as possible to take home with them about what we're doing here, while trying our best to have fun so we don't scare them away!

Check out the pictures below to see our past week's activities!

CPT Rhoda Hampton and 1LT Lisa Longo pose in the snow in the Governor's compound.

Our PDSS!

Snowball fight!

Loading up a Gator with snowballs to drive around the FOB and throw at people...

Getting creative

We had a war with the Military Police...such fun!

TX ADT-5 Hosts Conference for Ghazni Women Business Owners

Purpose

TX ADT-5 works together with USDA, Polish PRT, and the Human Terrain Team to bring together successful businesswomen from Ghazni in order to discuss how the private sector of agribusiness can be expanded, thus increasing the economic stability of the region.

Discussion

TX ADT, with coordinating partners, identified that without the success of the private sector, no economy truly grows.  In order to help promote economic stability and increase agribusiness in Ghazni Province, local businesswomen that had been through the Goldman-Sachs 10,000 Afghan Women program were contacted and asked to attend a conference on FOB Ghazni.  Each came prepared to talk not only about  their current businesses, but also their ideas on either expansion or new business ideas that would increase the agribusiness output for Ghazni Province.  As 80% of Afghanistan’s Gross Domestic Product comes from agribusiness, it’s imperative that the private sector is developed along with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Outcome

The conference was a huge success in both introducing the local businesswomen to the Ghazni team, but also in initiating discussion for future business possibilities.  The women were introduced to the concept of complementary business practices and business partnerships as well as informed about other business outside the region that could use their waste products for production in their own privately owned businesses.  Since the conference, the Ghazni team has received seven new business proposals to review for financing through micro-grants (TX ADT), USAID monies, Ambassador Women’s Initiatives monies, or micro-financing through another privately owned Afghan finance company.  There will be another conference planned in the upcoming weeks for more business owners in Ghazni.

1LT Rebekah Frost discusses the possibility for opening a dairy in Kwaja Omari District, Ghazni Province wiht one of the local businesswomen.

The attendees take a group photo at the conclusion of a very successful conference.

Budget Summits

One of the projects TX ADT-5 has been working on is teaching the Afghan Government to become reliant on it's own budgeting system to fund the development projects needed to improve their economy and quality of life for the people.  We've hosted two Budget Summits, in conjunction with our counterparts here on FOB Ghazni in Task Force White Eagle, to teach the line directors here in Ghazni how to utilize the GIRoA budget system.  See our Good News Stories below from Budget Summit 1&2 to check out how they went.

Budget Summit 1
Purpose

TX ADT-5 works together with the Department of State, Ghazni Civil Affairs Team, American PRT, Polish PRT, and Polish DDG to bring together provincial line directors of education and agriculture with their corresponding ministers in order to encourage an exchange of information at a “Budget Summit”.

Discussion

TX ADT-5, in partnership, identified the issue that the provincial line directors did not know what their budgets were for operations and development nor did they know how to properly request their money for use.  This has resulted in a dependence on Coalition Forces for any development projects and some requests to cover operation costs while the directors underutilized their own budgets.

Outcome

During and after the presentations, the discussion between the provincial directors and their ministers was heated yet productive.  At the end of the Summit, all parties requested another summit with all ministers and line directors invited in order to continue and expand the current dialogue.  Also, the Director of the Civil Service Institute has offered to provide training for the provincial directors in budget formulation and execution, work plan development and leadership skills, and the Minister of Finance wants to expand this program to the other provinces.

CPT Loren Holland presents hte findings from the Task Force White Eagle Budget Working Group to the Provincial Directors, Ministers from Kabul, and some of their American counterparts.

The Minister of Finance representative argues with the Ghazni Director of Education about securing funds for education development programs.

Budget Summit 2

Purpose

TX ADT-5 works together with the Department of State, Ghazni Civil Affairs Team, American PRT, Polish PRT, and Polish DDG to bring together provincial line directors with their corresponding ministers in order to encourage an exchange of information at a second “Budget Summit”.

Discussion

Coalition  partners identified the issue that the provincial line directors did not know  that their budgets were for operations and development; nor did they know how to properly request their money for use.  TX ADT-5 hosted a first budget summit on 13DEC11 that was so successful the program was expanded to include all Provincial line directors and their corresponding ministers or representatives.

Outcome

The Budget Summit was a success both in helping the provincial directors understand the finance and budgeting process within GIRoA, as well as encouraging dialogue between the provincial directors and their corresponding ministers from Kabul.  It also allowed the Coalition Forces from Task Force White Eagle to present their findings in an open forum to the provincial directors, ministry representatives, and their American counterparts, to include Steve Huete (USDA), Rhonda Reinke (US Treasury), and Elizabeth Royall (IJC). 

 The majority of the presentations and discussion was led by Mr. Mohammad Aqha, Treasury Chief of Finance Ministry.  Mr. Aqha explained the money flow process for GIRoA to the line directors in order to help them utilize their budgets fully before requesting funding from Coalition Forces.  The conference was covered extensively by local media.  Mr. Aqha and the Ministry of Finance plan on taking over the Budget Summits and continuing to educate the line directors in the GIRoA money flow process.

Mr. Mohammad Aqha explains the money flow process for GIRoA to the line directors and Provincial Governor of Ghazni.

Ghazni line directors look at handouts of the slides prepared and make notes.



Afghan national media coverage can be found at: http://ariananews.af/regional/government-is-inattentive-towards-ghazni-reconstruction-projects-governor-of-ghazni/