Agricultural projects seek to wean Afghans off opium

HERAT, Afghanistan — Abdul Khaliq Stanikzai says the tiny mound of red and yellow threads in the palm of his hand could help cure Afghanistan of its opium addiction.

With agricultural development now seen as pivotal to weaning Afghanistan off drugs and war, multi-million-dollar programmes aimed at offering farmers alternatives to poppy production are cropping up nationwide.

In western Herat province bordering Iran, purple crocus plants have slowly replaced pink poppies in some areas, but the benefits of swapping to saffron from opium are long term and, Stanikzai said, farmers need to be convinced.

"Saffron requires confidence and patience because the output grows year by year, and it is not until year four that the plant is at the top of its production and income for the farmers," said Stanikzai, Herat director of Sanayee Development Organisation, an Afghan aid group.

The same is true of other crops -- from almonds to pomegranates, grapes, apples and wheat -- being offered as alternatives to opium for the 85 percent of Afghans who live on the land.

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What the true clear picture is that opium production continued unabated; U.S. troops and marines are guarding opium plantations like scarecrows; opium is being covertly transported around the world in Global Hawk UAVs; Russian heroin addicts shooting themselves up with high-potency smack and dying.