I am helping 30 farmers how to plant trees and grow vegetables, says Khan Bukhari on his demonstration garden

Khan Bukhari’s life is far from easy. His family lived in Pakistan as refugees for over 30 years, with limited livelihood and education opportunities. Khan Bukhari grew up in Pakistan, so returning to Afghanistan felt like becoming a refugee again. Now he is married and struggles to feed his family. He lives on hilly, arid land that has suffered from erosion, making it difficult to grow food. One year ago, People in Need introduced the Farmer-Led Extension Project to the Community Development Council in his village: the project focuses on the management of natural resources vital for agricultural production.

One of the project’s activities was to establish demonstration vegetable gardens within the communities it targeted. These gardens help to teach other local farmers about new cultivation techniques. “I was very interested to have a demonstration garden. This is why I let my Community Development Council know about the site I consider for it. They came to evaluate the site and accepted it,” Khan Bukhari said, explaining how he joined the project.

We will cultivate this eroded hill

Once accepted into the program, People in Need’s contribution arrived. “Khan Bukhari received plastic sheeting for storing water, spades for ploughing the garden and making rows or wheelbarrow for carrying material,” says Saber Amini, PIN field officer.

At the same time another People in Need activity was in place. Thirty farmers from his village established a group called Gape Mohimi Dega (One More Important Point), and Khan Bukhari was appointed as its team leader. He received trainings and now trains and helps other group members to plant trees and grow vegetables. “Other members often visit his garden to learn how to grow new crops and new cultivation techniques,” says Saber Amini. Khan Bukhari plans to cultivate vegetables and trees for more than ten years. The earnings will help feed his family and buy new seeds to keep the garden going.

Khan Bukhari looks at the dry hills destroyed by erosion behind his house and plans further. “The hill was destroyed one hundred years ago, but with People in Need’s support we will be able to cultivate this land and plant more trees and vegetables there,” he says.