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1 Nov 2006 : Column 510W—continued
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what his assessment is of the principal factors leading to the reduction of opium poppy cultivation in (a) Balkh and (b) Farah provinces in Afghanistan in 2006; [98177]
(2) what his assessment is of the principal factors leading to the increases in poppy cultivation in (a) Uruzgan, (b) Badakshan, (c) Day Kundi and (d) Nangarhar provinces in Afghanistan in 2006. [98178]
Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.
We assess that the principal factors leading to the increases in cultivation in Uruzgan, Badakshan and Day Kundi are insecurity, poor governance and lack of development. Although cultivation has also risen in Nangarhar, it remains at negligible levels across much of the province for the second consecutive year. This is a precedent in Afghanistan. Where cultivation has increased in Nangarhar it has been largely limited to the more remote areas where the shift to legal livelihoods is constrained by insecurity and limited access to land, water and markets. In Balkh, better security, governance and an effective eradication campaign all contributed to a reduction in cultivation. In Farah we assess that drought had an impact on cultivation levels.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of his Department’s staff were originally dispatched to Helmand Province when British forces were deployed there; and how many staff are stationed in (a) Helmand Province and (b) Kandahar Province. [98180]
Hilary Benn: As part of the original UK Joint Plan for Helmand, DFID deployed one development adviser to work alongside other UK Government Departments in Helmand.
Currently there is one DFID staff member working in the provincial reconstruction team, providing cover for the PCRU quick impact project manager. We anticipate redeploying the development adviser to Helmand when he returns from leave later this week, subject to appropriate security arrangements.
Currently, there are no DFID staff deployed in Kandahar Province.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work his Department has carried out in Helmand Province since British troops were deployed there; and what the outcomes from this work have been. [98181]
Hilary Benn:
In Helmand, DFID is funding £30 million Helmand Agriculture and Rural Development Programme. This programme aims to increase economic opportunities for the rural poor of Helmand by supporting the Government of Afghanistan in the implementation of existing successful National Programmes in Helmand. Preliminary tasks have been undertaken: i.e. sites for road and well building have been identified; engineering surveys conducted; and the Government procurement process started. This programme will construct 200 wells in and around Lashkar Gah city by end March 2007, and 49 km of road will be under construction by then. Should the
security situation allow, we also expect to build a further 490 wells in four districts in central Helmand by end March 2007. In the longer term, these programmes will provide improved water and sanitation, essential small-scale rural infrastructure, greater access to small loans, improved roads and access to markets and agricultural inputs and training to the people of Helmand.
Through the £3 million DFID-funded Research into Alternative Livelihoods Fund (RALF), the Restorative Agriculture and Rural Economy Research Project, implemented by Mercy Corps, in Helmand, is working on the feasibility of exporting grapes, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplants and okra, and has made strong contacts with raisin importers (organic and fair-trade). The programme is evaluating at least 10 different small-scale agri-processing industries, and producing case studies of enterprises that prove to have value added, for example tomato paste.
DFID has committed £4 million to the UK Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) funding allocation of £6.5 million for the delivery of quick impact projects (QIPS) in Helmand to get short-term development results and help build a platform for longer-term activities. From the total allocation, half has been committed and all will be spent by March 2007. To date, nearly 50 such projects have been funded and implemented. These funds have provided humanitarian assistance to victims of the drought, constructed permanent vehicle checkpoints to improve security, improved security around the shrine in Gereshk, reinforced the river bank walls and provided flood defences for the Bowlan bridge. A full list of UK funded QIPs under the four broad sub-headings (Reconstruction and Development, Security, Governance and Counter Narcotics) is as follows as supporting documentation.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work has been carried out by non-governmental organisations in Helmand province in 2006; and how many are operating in Helmand province. [98182]
Hilary Benn: There is no central database of all work carried out by local and international NGOs in Helmand. We do also not know for certain how many NGOs are operating in Helmand.
In 2006 DFID has provided support through Quick Impact Project (QIPs) to HAFO (Helping Afghan Farmers Organisation) and WADAN (Welfare and Development of Afghans Network). The following table as supporting documentation outlines the work that HAFO and WADAN have, or are in the process of undertaking in Helmand.
The £3 million DFID-funded research into Alternative Livelihoods Fund (RALF), the Restorative Agriculture and Rural Economy Research Project,
implemented by Mercy Corps., is working in Helmand on the feasibility of exporting grapes, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplants and okra, and has made strong contacts with raisin importers (organic and fair-trade).
Through the Government of Afghanistan’s National Programmes which we support, the Government provide additional support to NGOs as facilitating partners, including BRAC and Mercy Corps.
| UK direct support to NGOs in Helmand province, Reconstruction and Development | |||
| Project | Value (USD) | Total spend to date (USD) | Partner organisation |
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the correlation between input of alternative livelihoods funding to the priority provinces identified in the Afghan Government’s alternative livelihoods implementation plan and the production of opium in those provinces. [98189]
Hilary Benn: The UK has been helping the Government of Afghanistan prepare an alternative livelihoods plan to help deliver the updated National Drug Control Strategy. The plan has seven work areas, focussing on particular provinces with a high level of opium production as well as those with a high level of vulnerability to opium poppy cultivation. The plan has been recently endorsed by the Minister for Counter Narcotics and the Cabinet Sub-Committee.
There is currently no effective system in place for measuring the impact of alternative livelihood programmes on poppy cultivation in the priority provinces. DFID is helping the Afghan Government address this problem by undertaking a repeat survey in three of the priority provinces, starting in 2007. The results will be known after the first survey is undertaken in March 2007.
However we do know from the 2006 UNODC opium survey, that alternative livelihoods alone are not enough. Where there is access to governance, security and development, reductions in cultivation achieved last year have been sustained and in some cases fallen.
Paul Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was paid in cash
for development purposes in the Helmand province in 2006; and who the recipients were. [98484]
Hilary Benn: DFID has committed £4 million this financial year to the UK Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP) funding allocation of £6.5 million for the delivery of Quick Impact Projects (QIPS) in Helmand. The purpose of QIPs is to get short-term development results and help build a platform for longer-term activities. The total paid out in cash to date is US$ 2,872,068 (£1.6 million) out of US$ 4,946,302 (£2.7 million) committed so far.
These funds have provided humanitarian assistance to victims of the drought, constructed permanent vehicle checkpoints to improve security, improved security around the shrine in Gereshk, reinforced the river bank walls and provided flood defences for the Bowlan Bridge. A full list of UK funded QIPs under the four broad sub-headings (Reconstruction and Development, Security, Governance, and Counter Narcotics) is attached as supporting documentation, showing recipient organisations.
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