Washington State University (WSU) has designed a program to teach U.S. troops about about Afghanistan's grape production and the importance of small-scale farming for its citizens.

WSU viticulturalist Michelle Moyer developed a presentation for the national eXtension Grape Community of Practice (GCoP), giving troops an introduction to vine biology, how grapes are grown, potential threats to grape production and specifics of Afghan production.

"Specific information on Afghan grape production is important for developing cultural and production sensitivity in deploying U.S. troops," Moyer said.

"Grapes are the leading horticulture crop for Afghanistan, but their production systems are not like those U.S. citizens would be accustomed to seeing."

The GCOP has 87 grape production professionals in 31 U.S. states as well as in Ontario, Canada, and will distribute the presentation to universities and government agencies for troop training efforts.

"By providing information regarding what our troops might encounter while on the ground in Afghanistan, we can reduce the likelihood of a negative impact on production for this very important crop," Moyer added.

"This sensitivity is critical in rebuilding economic and agricultural stability that is necessary for the overall long-term stability of a country."

Moyer highlighted 48% of fruit-bearing land in Afghanistan was dedicated to grapes, with the majority grown for personal consumption either as fresh fruit or raisins.

She said yields were typically low because of higher rates of fungal disease. Trellising systems tend to use old trees or are absent, with grape plants most often grown as bushes.

"Just because a vine is growing up a tree does not mean it is not a part of the local production system - while rudimentary, it is a common practice to trellis vines on any structure available, if they are trellised at all."

Moyer emphasized irrigation was vital for crops, so soldiers needed to take care not to contaminate or disrupt water supplies.

"You don’t know what is drawing from a water source downstream of your activities.

"I would hope that as a result of this type of training, our troops will be able to recognize the importance of small-scale farming in countries like Afghanistan and realize that production systems can differ greatly among different agricultural regions.

"But they all still have the same bottom line: to provide food and a livelihood for a country’s citizens."

Photo: Washington State University

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