Focus on... Agriculture after conflict
The legacy of war continues long after opposing factions have laid down their arms. Devastated infrastructure, displaced communities and the often volatile post-war security situation, are just some of the relics of conflict.
The aftermath of war is a reality faced by millions of rural poor around the world, and re-establishing agricultural production, for both subsistence and trade, is an essential part of the rehabilitation process. In this edition of New Agriculturist - from the landmines still thwarting development in Cambodia, to the efforts to kick-start Angola's coffee industry - we look at some of the ways in which formerly war-torn countries have emerged from the shadows of conflict and embarked upon the rocky road to recovery.
Cambodia is one of the most heavily landmined countries in the world, with farming communities running the daily risk of living and working on contaminated land. The painstaking work of mine clearance teams is helping the country harness its agricultural potential.
A pilot project in Angola is reviving the coffee sector by sub-dividing abandoned plantations in order to resettle displaced families and provide them with support to improve yields of this vital export crop.
A donor supported land ownership registry is slowly allowing Guatemalans to have security over their land; whilst export of certified crops such as coffee, cocoa and bananas is boosting income for farmers and lessening agricultural impact on the environment.
Sierra Leone is a country with much potential but after a decade of devastating civil war, it currently flounders as the second poorest nation in the world. However, a recent study has revealed that innovation research in key areas could make a difference in rehabilitating agricultural production.
Livestock animal health initiatives around Darfur and in southern Sudan are providing a lifeline to thousands of families, particularly displaced households only now returning to their communities to rebuild their lives.
Although it is still struggling to recover from two decades of war, wheat production is on the rise in Afghanistan. A scheme to introduce high quality seed to the country has provided some rural communites with a route out of poverty.
The Food for Thought programme teaches sustainable agriculture throughout Uganda - but in the war-torn northern region, the benefits reach beyond food security.
November 2007
