Officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock say that in a meeting chaired by Maulavi Ataullah Omari, the head of this ministry, a committee was appointed to finalize the five-year plan of the Ministry of Agriculture for alternative livelihood of poppy.

Afghan Voice News Agency (AVA) - Kabul: Misbahuddin Mostain, the head of information and public awareness of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, in a conversation with the AVA reporter, said that a meeting chaired by Maulvi Ataullah Omari, acting head of the ministry, with the presence of a number of heads and specialists of the ministry In order to finalize the five-year alternative livelihood plan of poppy, it was opened in the Ministry of Agriculture.

According to him, this meeting was held in order to include the opinions of the Administrative Commission of the Administrative Vice-Chancellor of the Ministry of the Islamic Emirate in the five-year alternative livelihood plan, during which the head of agriculture expressed specific ideas and suggestions to improve the mentioned plan and demanded its inclusion. In the five-year plan, livelihood was replaced.

He says that in this meeting, the Acting Minister of Agriculture appointed a specific committee headed by Maulvi Nusratullah Talha, General Director of the Agricultural Research Institute, with the presence of leaders and experts, to finalize the mentioned plan.

The head of information and public awareness of the ministry added that the five-year plan for alternative livelihoods based on the decree of the leader of the Islamic Emirate regarding the prohibition of poppy cultivation in order to provide alternative livelihoods and introduce alternatives to poppy cultivation and drug-producing plants for farmers has been organized by the Ministry of Agriculture.

He stated that this plan includes the implementation of alternative livelihood projects for strengthening and economic cooperation of farmers, reducing and permanently eradicating poppy cultivation and encouraging the cultivation of legitimate and diverse crops, which includes activities in the fields of agriculture, livestock, natural resources and irrigation.

It should be mentioned that before this, the Deputy Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock had said that the number of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has reached zero.