Down on the Farm

This is interesting. The poppy eradication started in the eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan this week. Government soldiers acting on orders from President Hamid Karzai intend to destroy eight to 10 per cent of the crops but the farmers will be allowed to harvest the rest.

Farmers bemoan the loss of income as poppy cultivation brings US$ 2,000 per half acre but are resigned to the partial destruction of their crops. One would think the remaining 90% would be enough to keep them from falling back into abject poverty and we also wonder what possible effect eradicating such a small percentage of the crop will have on the heroin supply. It looks like an attempt to create the illusion of cooperation with western anti-drug programs on the Afghani government's part.

In any event unless alternative crops and marketing are developed, the farmers do not appear to be planning to stop cultivating the flowers soon.

If the government could not find us other sources we will cultivate poppy again," one farmer said. "We know opium is 'haram' ( forbidden ) but in critical situations, Islam allows you to do every possible thing for your survival. When you are hungry nothing is haram."