Seed bank destruction may cause agriculture loss

Scientist have termed the destruction of Afghanistan’s largest seed collection or gene bank a tragic loss to the country’s food production capabilities already struggling with the effects of years of conflict and the worst drought in 40 years. "This is a substantial damage because, unfortunately, nobody has maintained a comprehensive seed bank of Afghanistan’s diverse seed varieties," N. S. Tunwar, a senior technical adviser with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), told IRIN from the Afghan capital, Kabul on Thursday. Afghanistan’s largest crop collection, put together by Future Harvest Consortium to Rebuild Agriculture in Afghanistan, an international group working for the restoration of the country’s agriculture, was looted from storage houses in the central Afghan town of Ghazni and the eastern city of Jalalabad recently. "Ironically, the looters took only the plastic containers and left the seed behind," a group official, Nassrat Wassimi, said. The burglars destroyed hundreds of samples of Afghanistan’s rich agricultural heritage, including samples of wheat, barley, chickpea, lentils, melons, pistachio, pomegranate and other fruits and crops. Researchers could have used the collection to develop new crop verities with improved yields as well as disease and pest resistance. Highlighting the significance of local crop strains, Tunwar maintained that such varieties were essential for food production in the country because they could withstand harsh climatic conditions, and resisted infections. "They are the best source for marginal and un-irrigated areas. They even produced something in droughts," he said, adding that Afghanistan was best suited for the production of cereal crops and fruits because of its dry and cold climate. According to an FAO report earlier in the year. Food production in Afghanistan has increased by 82 percent because of sufficient and timely rainfall in two-thirds of the country. This would amount to 3.59 million mt of food grains. "But one-third of the country is still reeling under drought," Tunwar said.