Interview with the governor of Nangarhar province on poppy cultivation

While the central government has started its controversial poppy eradication campaign in parts of the country where cultivation is rife, some provincial leaders believe the campaign could be counter-productive if alternative livelihoods are not provided for farmers. Nangarhar is one of the main poppy growing provinces in the country. This eastern province was the first target of this year's eradication campaign. But officials say only eight percent of poppy fields in Nangarhar were destroyed, partly because farmers were angry at the lack of alternative livelihoods offered by Kabul. Haji Din Mohammad is governor of the Nangarhar province. In an interview with IRIN, he said eradication was actually stimulating production by driving up opium prices. QUESTION: What do you see as the most effective way of addressing the poppy cultivation problem in your province? ANSWER: My personal opinion is that there should be a precise survey done so we know how much poppy is being cultivated. There is an exaggeration of the problem. In Nangarhar there is not very much agricultural land. People do not have large amounts of farmland to cultivate wheat or any other crops to earn a living. People in the province are largely illiterate and have no skills other than agriculture to help their vulnerable families and survive poverty and unemployment. Any eradication or prevention campaign must be fair. We need to consider all the aspects. Launching development projects, which could also create employment for hundreds of thousands of jobless people, is an essential component. Last year there was a lot of poppy cultivation and prices came down tremendously. If it continues like this people may not cultivate it next year because prices are low. So demand reduction is key to the elimination of poppy cultivation. Q: Do you think people will react negatively to the government's poppy eradication programme if alternative sustainable livelihoods are not provided? A: Yes, this will be very hard for the government and unacceptable for most people. They will show resistance and react badly. People become jobless and have no other way of earning a living, so they will fight and resist any campaign. Also, eradication is keeping prices high and actually encouraging production. Let me explain. If it is announced that the government will destroy fields, the prices double, which encourages more poppy cultivation. Q: As provincial leader, what ideas do you have for alternative local businesses if poppy is eradicated in your region? A: Well, in some provinces people have started cultivating saffron, while here in Nangarhar other businesses like raising silkworms and initiatives to boost vocational and professional training will prove effective. We should compare the revenue of farmers from poppy, wheat, vegetables and then we should choose a crop or a business which could at least create or guarantee a sustainable living for farmers. We should also create other opportunities in rural areas such as livestock farming, chicken raising, gardening and other businesses. But I should stress that agricultural development will really only have an impact if reconstruction, security, education and health improve. Q: Did you inform people before you implemented the eradication drive and what was the response? A: I invited elders and told them that at least eight percent of their poppy fields must be eradicated this year. Eight percent out of the whole Nangarhar poppy harvest must be destroyed. It was difficult for them but they respected central government's order. But I think that even if we increase pressure on farmers, they will continue to grow poppy as long as the external demand remains. Q: What is your reaction to accusations from the interior minister that provincial and district authorities are involved in the opium business? A: I agree with the interior minister. But he should have mentioned the name of those provinces and authorities that are intensely involved. I do not agree that all governors are involved. But I think that from a district level the drugs network reaches many top people, even in ministries, because there is so much money at stake here and we, even high profile government officials, are very, very poor.