Agriculture Development Team One in Zabul Province, Afghanistan Has Success and Frustrations During One-Year Tour

Agriculture Development Team One deployed for one year to Zabul Province, Afghanistan in February 2010.  While there they worked with special operations teams and elements of the Romanian Army on agricultural projects in Zabul Province. Their work took them to all 13 districts of Zabul Province. They closely coordinated with the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, & Livestock or MAIL and the provincial Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, & Livestock or DAIL. The agricultural team was able to construct two "demonstration farms" that allowed the team members to show Afghan farmers different ways to improve their crop and farm animal yields.  The team also provided help in the way of agricultural seminars to various locations throughout Zabul Province.  Over their year-long tour they experienced quite a few successes. They also had the Taliban to deal with and the never-ending corruption of Afghan government officials. Read more about Agriculture Development Team One in "US military agriculture team succeeds despite Taliban", Western Farm Press, March 7, 2012.