Kabul, Afghanistan — Upon instructions of His Excellency Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), Mr. Emre Yuksek, Humanitarian Operations Manager and Coordinator of the Afghanistan Food Security Program (AFSP), embarked on high-level deliberations in Kabul with stakeholders to further the cause of food security and humanitarian assistance, after the successful commissioning of the Advancing Wheat Cultivation for Sustainable Development in West Afghanistan project which supported farmers in Zinda Jan district, Herat Province.
During a visit to the Afghanistan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), the IOFS representative underscored the successful collaboration between the two Institutions in the "Flour for Humanity" program in 2023 and in providing emergency and feasible assistance to the most vulnerable populations in Afghanistan’s Western provinces, including Chour, Badghis, Nimroz, and Farah which supported over 25,000 individuals. Mr. Yuksek also addressed the critical needs highlighted by ARCS, particularly those affected by recent flash flood events in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Kunar, and Laghman. He also paid a courtesy call to the recently appointed ARCS’s President, Mawlawi Shahabuddin Delawar. President Delawer welcomed the ongoing support from IOFS and expressed a keen willingness to enhance joint efforts to fund humanitarian programs, emphasizing the role of the Organization as a symbol of Islamic solidarity.
The IOFS representative also paid a visit to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation of Afghanistan. Acting Deputy Minister, H.E. Mawlawi Sadr Azam Osmani, expressed deep appreciation for IOFS's contributions, particularly recognizing the success of the AFSP and its vital impact in Herat and Zinda Jan. He highlighted the urgent need for more capacity building and training programs, as Afghanistan's long-term conflict has severely impacted research facilities and knowledge dissemination like model farming and piloting projects as Zindejan project is one of the successful model for this. On the other hand, Mr. Yuksek discussed broadening the program to include wheat, rice, and livestock value chains, tapping into the expertise of Member States. Furthermore, the host highlighted the national efforts to fight against poppy cultivation and encouraged support from IOFS Member States for alternative crop programs, asserting the Ministry's readiness to back IOFS's mandate on AFSP as endorsed during the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held on 18-19 December 2021 in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Additionally, the IOFS representative met with Ms. Anita Karki, Program Manager at the Economic Empowerment Unit of UN Women Afghanistan. The meeting focused on the challenges faced by women-led social enterprises, cooperatives, and NGOs in the food and agriculture sector. Both institutions agreed on the need for a mapping study in various parts of Afghanistan to gather insights and assess market trends for value addition and enterprise development. To achieve this, IOFS and UN Women are planning embark on such study in nine provinces of Northern Afghanistan, including Badakhshan, Takhar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Balkh, Samangan, Jawzjan, Sar-e Pul, and Faryab. Mr. Yuksek also noted that relevant OIC Institutions, such as the Women Development Organization (WDO) and the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) had shown interest to participate in the proposing mapping exercise. The recommendations from the proposed study will be invaluable for future interventions. Additionally, there are plans to simultaneously develop training programs for women agricultural extension officers focusing on both crop and livestock management.
The visit to Afghanistan included a courtesy call to Ambassador Cenk Unal, Chargé d'Affaires & Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Kabul. Ambassador Unal affirmed Türkiye's support through their development agency, TIKA, and discussed future collaboration efforts with IOFS to scale up the project across various parts of Afghanistan. The Ambassador highlighted the critical role of OIC and particularly IOFS in leveraging the efforts of member countries.
The IOFS mission will continue with additional meetings planned with the OIC Kabul Office, the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, and TIKA Kabul Program Coordination Office, to discuss ongoing projects and future collaborations.
