§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken to encourage(a) the use of alternative crops and (b) non-farming livelihoods in the Afghan provinces. [144859]
Mr. Gareth ThomasWe are providing more than £20 million over three years to our livelihoods programme in Afghanistan. This includes funding a Research in Alternative Livelihoods Project, (£3 million over three years) designed to help the rural poor in Afghanistan build new ways of making a living. Research grants will be given to organisations, which put forward innovative ideas for the development and promotion of new farming and non-farming opportunities in Afghanistan.
Workshops will be held to share lessons learnt and information gathered by the projects being funded with other rural development projects across Afghanistan. We are also building the capacity of key Ministries to enable the Afghan Government to support the new livelihoods opportunities and engage with the local communities through newly established development councils.