Speeches Shim
Security risks complicate materials delivery in a fragile state such as Afghanistan, and the Ministry of Education’s ability to effectively track the process was inhibited by an outdated monitoring system. The ministry was using a complex, paper-based system that created opportunities for corruption and delayed delivery of textbooks to students.
Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections in October 2018 saw active involvement of civil society organizations (CSOs) calling for transparency and accountability in what turned out to be a complex and contentious process. Critical to the success of their efforts was the role of the media. Weekly radio program Negah-e-Naw played a significant part in engaging the public to raise issues and concerns and reaching national audiences.
While Afghanistan is known for its delicious apricots, Afghan apricot varieties and production techniques typically result in low yields and farm incomes. One problem is that the type of apricots usually grown in Afghanistan is ill-suited to cold spring temperatures. In fact, some farmers in eastern Afghanistan abandoned apricots for other kinds of fruit trees.
On a sunny, cloudless day, Mr. Mohammad Naieem reflectively exam-ines a dry plot of agricultural land in Hassanabad village, Jawzjan prov-ince. He reminisces, “The area had enough water. I remember we had three canals full of water flowing throughout our village…”
Imagine being a farmer with limited usable land trying to feed a growing family of 45. That was the daily pressure weighing on Haji Abdul Rahman, an 80-year-old farmer in Jowzjan Province, Afghanistan. He says his problem was not insufficient land, but his inability to level it so that it could be used for planting.
Comment
Make a general inquiry or suggest an improvement.