The Sweet Smell of Success? - I hope so.
AsiaNews.it is running a report titled: Roses instead of poppies to blossom in Afghanistan.
I imagine it's a story you won't find on the big media channels so I thought I'd highlight it here at TGS.
Also, it shows that the UN is capable of doing some good.
Kabul (AsiaNews) – Roses instead of poppies will blossom in Afghanistan, the world’s leading producer of opium. More than a hundred farmers in south-eastern province Ningharhar have in fact decided to give up illegal poppy cultivation and grow roses instead. Rose oil, a key ingredient in perfume, could thus replace opium, this thanks to a project promoted by German NGO Agro Action and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This fall, some 40,000 roses from Bulgaria will be planted in a 10 hectare area. Another 90,000 will be next spring as part of the project. Total cost will be around US$ 100,000.
According to the UNDP, several international investors have already shown significant interest in the project. “This project aims to give Afghan farmers access to high added value international markets. Rose cultivation builds on Afghanistan’s agricultural strengths, and presents a strong opportunity to fulfill a growing niche market,” said Ercan Murat, UNDP’s country director in Afghanistan.
A market study on the feasibility of rose oil production in Afghanistan, conducted by Agro Action and Kabul-based Altai Consulting, found that fragrance products present a potentially lucrative export. It showed that demand for rose oil was high in Europe and the US where buyers are trying to diversify supplies.
I hope they can successfully pull it off because this kind of economic hope for Afghanistan's opium farmers is hope for the rest of the world.
