AFGHANISTAN CENTRE AtragHALu1

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cAll Cr u(tura(xteK 6l0H

March 25, 1958 to July 24, 1960

Terminal Report

Frank H. Shuman Chief Extension Advisor

United States Operations Mission to Afghanistan

Kabul, Afghanistan

EXTENSION IS AN OUT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION

Extension education, to be effec-

tive in Afghanistan, must reach three

groups.

The Minister of Agriculture and his

staff must have their imaginations fired

by seeing the good crop or the ideal

crop.

The Extension Agents must know how

to conduct a demonstration. How can

they tell others unless they know how

as the result of an actual experience?

The villager must be motivated to

want bigger and better crops. He must

care enough about poor soil to make his

land rich. He also must be concerned

if his neighbors' children do not have

enough to eat.

Firing The Imagination, Showing The Ideal

Broaden The Understanding, Show How And Why

Motivate Action. Forty Tons Of Rust

1 Resistant "Nebred Wheat" Were Secured byVillagers From The Ministry Of Agricui':ure

Snow Covered Peaks areWitnessing a Great Awakening

Dr. Ehsan Rafik andMohammed Omar Guide Extension Tour

DEVELOPING AN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROGRAM

The snow covered peaks of landlocked Afghanistan have stood changeless and motionlesscentury after century. Now they are witnessing a great upsurge which is enveloping allparts of the world, including the aspiring people of this developing country.

On March 25th, 1958, F. H. Shuman, the writer of this report, arrived in Kabul toserve as Chief Extension Advisor, United States Overseas Mission, to the Ministry of Agri-culture. It was not until December, 1958 that a National Extension Service was inaugurated.However, the Helmand Valley Authority had an extension department since 1954 which hadoperated independently of the Ministry of Agriculture located at Kabul.

A Department of Extension and Publicity became a division of the Ministry of Agricul-ture along with Plant Production, Plant Protection and Animal Husbandry.

Dr. Ehsan Rafik, who received special training in France, became Director. of Extensionwhile Mr. Mohammed Omar was made Supervisor of Extension.

Twenty prospective extension workers were secured from the staffs of the various de-partments of the Ministry of Agriculture and from the recent graduates of the Kabul Voca-tional School. After a four week training course, twelve were chosen and placed invillages to carry out special projects.

The average villager is not aware that he and his neighbors are on the verge of a newawakening. He knows and sees that some changes are beginning such as new roads, air trans-portation and the starting of village schools. He is not aware of the impact of the newextension program with improved seed, new fertilizers, virulent type legume inoculent, rowcropping, insecticides and the intelligent use of irrigation water. To him the idea ofgrowing more crops per acre is in the embryo stage. Through extension, this idea startedto grow in 1959.

If the Afghanistan extension program is properly nourished and directed, no other pro-ject will excel it.

The problem of creating a National Extension Program which will serve the eight thou-sand villages of Afghanistan is a great opportunity in spite of the frustrations andhandicapps which must be surmounted.

Villages Like Jabal SarajResult From Soil Enrichment

This Extension WorkerShows How To Inoculate Alfalfa

EXTENSION SUCCESS DEPENDS ON SEVEN PRINCIPLES

I brought to Af.Thanistan the following seven principles which, after twenty -eightmonths, I believe to be sound.

1. A country should not be involved in projects that cannot be supported after aid hasbeen withdrawn.

2. Major projects must be promoted that will broaden the economic base in order to bearthe costs of an ever expanding government, including schools, health, transportation, aswell as agriculture.

3. In a country where 85% of the people make their living from the land, a soil fert'_lit7"build up" program is basic and must not be bypassed.

4. Projects and institutions which will train leaders, who in turn will help developother leaders, must have priority. These leaders must be trained to use knowledge and notjust to possess knowledge.

5. Start slowly, taking one step at a time. You cannot have a crash program in eithereducation or agriculture. A one by one, little by little, step by step process cannot:becircumvented.

6. To be successful, every person must have a sense of achievement. The theory thatfrom continued discussions and lectures you -;et thinking which results in people discover-ing their own problems and solutions too often results in a vaccum as far as production isconcerned. Actual experience in carrying out a project is necessary to discover the prob-lems and the solutions.

7. The BIG problem in every country is to train an ever expanding staff of extension.agents. Technology is only one half of the training. The extension a -ent must care e, inabout poor wheat yields to want to do something about the situation. He must be concernedso ti-at he has a .'esire to improve the standard of living of the people on the land.

Ghulam Rassul of Chowki Village

DESCRIPTION OF A KABUL AREA VILLAGER

A typical villager in the Kabul area ofAfghanistan farms from three to five acresof rented land. His cash income is less thaneighty dollars per year. He owns one ox andhas to exchange or rent another from a neigh-bor in order to have a pair for plowing andpreparing the land.

His principal crop is wheat which isperiodically (1 year in 3) heavily injuredby rust. Possibly a third of his land isleft in summer fallow due to water scarcityor because the soil is too poor to producean annual crop.

Super phosphate and ammonium sulphatehave never been used in his village. How-ever, he knows the value of night soil andanimal manure and uses them judiciously.

His land has been farmed over two thousand years and is run- together clay. A cubicfoot of soil weighs more than one hundred pounds when it should only weigh sixty toseventy =five pounds. He tries to improve its texture by adding one hundred or more loadsof sand per acre so as to prevent its being baked into heavy clods which excludes thelife giving air and water.

Alfalfa is grown on a few small plots for his ox and donkey. However, they getmostly straw as a steady diet in order that the villager can sell the green feed in thecity bazaar or market. Even when the alfalfa roots are carefully washed, nodules arehard to find. The villager is very willing to try a new strain of alfalfa bacteria onhis new seeding if the extension worker brings him a test tube containing the culture anda picture showing the increased growth resulting from good nodulation.

One mongrel rooster and from four to eleven hens are to be found on his doorstep.The rooster is generally a fighting cock. The chickens have to hunt for a living, mostlyby scratching in the dirt and the manure piles. The chickens are stunted, receiving onlya very small supply of wheat when the ground is frozen or covered with snow. He willgladly exchange his mongrel rooster for a full grown well -fed American type.

The walls of his mud house joins with his neighbor. Generally a village is composedof-twenty to a hundred families. His water supply is the mountain stream which becomespolluted as soon as it reaches the first village.

In addition to wheat, barley and alfalfa, he raises a small patch of potatoes. One

villager in three has a small vineyard of luscious grapes which are sold on the Fall mar-ket as fruit or as dried raisins.

The villager farms in the traditionalmanner which includes the use of a one -handled wooden plow with a steel point anda wooden plank for dragging. An uprightsoil leveler made out of wood and drawn byoxen is used to make and repair the terraceswhich surround every small field. Terracesare an absolute necessity as the fall may betwo to four feet in each one hundred feet.

All seed is sown broadcast. He usesone hundred twenty -eight pounds of wheat peracre on the good land and one hundred sixtypounds on the poor land. He also seeds hisalfalfa at twenty -four pounds or more peracre which is almost double the amountneeded to get a stand on soil containing anormal amount of organic matter.

Noor Mohammed of Loghar Valley

Several small patches of corn are in evidence during the growing season. Corn isbroadcasted and one hundred thousand plants per acre use up all the available nitrogenbefore the ears are started. He has néver seen row cropping and does not know that he islosing over one -half of his potential production when the leaves are fired from the baseto the ear. The ear is a nubbin, flinty in type and is used for human consumption.

He does not cry cut for more land and is very willing to try new methods which willincrease his production, thus making his acres BIGGER.

His one small donkey is used to ca'ry heavy loads. When he goes to the Kabul bazaar,his wife rides the donkey, holding the youngest child in her arms. A two or three yearold sits beh.ind'her, while her husband walks along beside.

In the winter thn temperature hovers around the zero mark and fuel to keep warm isgenerally much more scarce than food. The surrounding mountains are completely barren.Cattle dung mixed with straw is used for heat. A second source of fuel is the alfalfaroots which he carefully dries after spading them out of the soil. Although he knows thevalue of alfalfa as a green manure, the fuel needed by his family )r survival determinc,7 -his choice.

He is not aware that he and his neighbors are on the verge of a new awakening. He

knows and sees that some changes are starting, such as a village school. He does notrealize the impact of the new extension service with improved seed, new fertilizers,virulent type inoculants, rcw cropping, insecticides and the intelligent use of irri-gation water.

For him the "BIGGER" acre idea is in the embryo stage, but is starting `_

The Major Diet isNan, Bread Made From Wheat

Precious AlfalfaRoots Are Used For Fuel

PROBLEMS - SELF EVIDENT AND OBSCURE

One of the finest administrators that it has been my privilege to work with in theforeign service said to me, "Go look at the area and then write me what you think theproblems are and also what you think can be done about the problems." Six months laterhe came to see me and his first question was, "What have you done about the problems andwhat do'you propose to do about them ?"

Many problems such as the hunger signs of wro p >, the overgrazed hillsides, and theexcess alkali of some of the soils of Afghanistan were self- evident.

One of the things not evident at first was that periodically wheat rust visited thevillages and destroyed from one -third to one -half of the wheat crop. Wheat is Afghan -istan's number one crop and a bread made from wheat comprises the major diet of the esti-mated twelve million people who live in the valleys of this country surrounded by snow-clad mountains of seldom paralleled and breath -taking beauty.

Only three months after my arrival, I witnessed the killing effect of this deadlydisease when I visited the Helmand Valley. A few months later, as a rust resistantstrain of wheat was offered to Abdul Rassul of Chowki village, eighteen miles west ofKabul, he said, "I will gladly try it. I am seventy years old, and in my lifetime I haveoften seen little children go hungry. When rust comes, the children in my village gohungry." Rust resistant wheat headed the list of things that needed to be extended.

The villager pictured spading up his alfalfa took the roots to his home where theywere dried and stored for winter fuel to keep his family warm. In near zero weather,people can freeze to death much quicker than they can starve to death. All of the treesfrom the surrounding mountains have disappeared after centuries of being used for fire-wood. Fuel is so costly that even the precious nitrogen so vital to thrifty crops isdestroyed in the villager's effort to keep his family warm. Thus reforestation of thehillsides is essential. Also, doubling the yield of legumes, such as alfalfa, so as toprovide more nitrogen for crops and also to furnish the needed fuel for heating purposes,becomes of supreme importance.

These Sheep WouldProfit From Better Pastures

Village Cocks AreMostly Used For Fighting

PROBLEMS PROVIDE EXTENSION OPPORTUNITIES

Two million nomads or koochies with their flocks of sheep and small herds of cattleare constantly on the march seeking feed for their livestock from the nearly barren hill -sid;, and a not too kindly soil. Introducing new grasses that have been found to besufficiently competitive to survive is essential.

The fighting cocks pictured above are to be found in every village. Their progenylack the genetic ability to lay a large number of eggs. Replacing these mongrel r.aleswith roosters which have the ability to introduce into each flock the factors of'in-creased egg production per hen; which can use feed efficiently; which will increase thegrowth rate of chicks as well as almost doubling the size of the egg - these are exten-sion opportuniti'es.

In Afghanistan, corn is a major crop, only being exceeded in importance by wheat ancbarley. Countless generations of corn grown under extreme low fertility co^ditíons mayhave resulted in the loss of that fraction of the germ plasm which carries high yieldfactors. Hybrid corn may be the answer to this problem.

For centuries, villagers have used an ox drawn soil leveler to make their fieldshorizontal. Without a surveyor's instrument, the villager depends on his eye with theresult that irrigation water stands in one corner of the field, drowning out his cropsof wheat, corn and alfalfa. Many crops receive too much water for optimum growth.

The people of Afghanistan are experiencing an awakening as new ideas collide wi +.F.century old traditions and customs. In a developing country like Afghanistan, plyingnew technology to the problems of crops and soils is not enough. Educational oppll -tun-iedes for every child.through village and vocational schools is basic.

RESEARCH ELIMINATES THE ERRORS IN A TRIAL AND ERROR SYSTEM

Wyoming University contracted with the United States Overseas Mission to furnish a

team of agricultural research specialists to aid and abet the Ministry of Agriculture inits efforts to carry on a significant and meaningful research program.

To achieve maximum progress, the extension advisor, in a developing country likeAfghanistan, must have the support and friendly guidance of those responsible for agri-cultural, research. I have repeatedly received valuable suggestions and needed encourage-ment from the research group.

Discovering a rust resistant wheat which outyielded the best Afghan variety by one -

third is probably the most outstanding achievement of all the research conducted atAliabad, the experiment station of tho Ministry of Agriculture.

In August 1959, the United States Overseas Mission imported forty tons of the highyielding Nebred and three tons of Cheyenne which stood in second place after four yearsof compariative wheat trials involving more than seventy varieties.

An FAO plant pathologist inoculated the highest yielding varieties with the mostpotent strains of rust found in Afghanistan. This study is being made in cooperation withthe research trials at the Aliabad station.

The efforts of the Wyoming group are supplemented by a Ministry of Agricultureappointee who is responsible for seed multiplication. The extension agents will en-courage the roguing of wild rye, foreign wheats and weeds as well as aid in the harvest-ing of more than fifty demonstration plots in which the imported varieties are being com-pared with local wheat yarieties on village soils. Thus, the Ministry of Agriculture,the USOM including the University of Wyoming team, and the FAO are making a united effortto cause the results of research to be increasingly and economically significant.

In addition to wheat, superior varieties of alfalfa, barley and vegetables have beenfound. The USOM imported one ton of Buffalo alfalfa for village distribution and seedmultiplication. This variety proved to be 25% better than any other tested. Highquality varieties of cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, cauliflower, and many other vegetablesare awaiting the development of an experienced extension service before volume distri-bution is attempted.

FEE D THE SOIL, IT WILL FEED 10(1

Check Big Bigger

WHEAT GIVES GENEROUS RESPONSE TO FERTILIZERS IN VILLAGE TRIALS

Biggest

All over the world most arid soils when irrigated have given an economical responseto both chemical nitrogen and phosphorus. The fifteen applicable testing plots in thevillages of Slab, Baghrami and Chowki gave ample evidence that Kabul area soils are alsohungry for these two elements.

One of the best ways to become acquainted with the needs of a village soil is to tryout an idea on a small plot. The villager can then decide whether he wants to adopt thepractice. The demonstrations, or so called "applicable testing" plots, not only helpsthe villager, but the extension agent and also the extension administrator, to gain know-ledge from an actual experience. All cooperating villagers were approached on the basisthat a trial test was being made for observational purposes. Every villager was awilling cooperator.

The check plots (untreated) in six trials averaged 33 seers of wheat per jirib.Adding 15# of nitrogen gave an average yield of 42.3 seers or a 28% increase. Adding 3C4of nitrogen gave an average yield of 47.1 seers or an increase of 42.7 %. 30# of nitrogenplus 20# of phosphorus gave 53.6 seers or a 62.4% increase. Adding 20# of phosphorus ir-creased the base yield by 20 %.

At Baghrami, adding thirty donkey loads of manure plus 30# of nitrogen and 20° ofphosphorus increased the base yield 122%. The net gain, after paying for the manure,nitrogen and phosphate, was 234.3 Afs. or $11.42 per acre. A net increase of 156 Afs.resulted from 15# of nitrogen; 199 Afs. for 30# of nitrogen; 242 Afs. for 30# of nitrogenand 20# of phosphorus. This would certainly indicate an economic response for the prac-tice of adding limited amounts of fertilizer to wheat.

On an acre basis, the average net gain for the plots receiving 15# of nitrogen peracre was $7.00; 30# of nitrogen, $8.92; 30# of nitrogen and 20# of phosphorus, $)O.82.In the States, even a $7.00 net gain per acre is considered rewarding.

9

At Siab: 20 -20 -0 Made the Difference At Siab: Phosphate ,lade The Difference

THE USE OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZE R_IS A NECESSARY AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

The total cost of the fertilizer used on all fifteen plots which were harvested was3,735 Afs. The value of the response or increase was 5,432 Afs., a return of 150 %. AtChowki, where the soil is sandy and no manure was applied, 672 Afs. of fertilizer gave anincrease of 1,232 Afs., or an increase of 185%.

At Siab, Baghrami and Calai Qasi, the plots were put on land belonging to the lead-ing villager. The plots were near the village and over the years had received bettertreatment than the average. My guess is that fertilizer would pay even a better returnon poor or average land.

Chemical fertilizers are a necessary and unavoidable development of the agricultureof Afghanistan. Hundreds of wheat fields exhibited the purpling which is so character-istic of phosphorus hunger. In many fields the available phosphate is so low that thewheat plants cannot use nitrogen efficiently. Adding phosphate at seeding time elimi-nated the purple hunger signs in the demonstration plots.

At Siab, on the land owned by Abdul Hakkim, the response of nitrogen was barelyvisible when compared with the check. Adding phosphate to the nitrogen almost doubledthe growth of the nitrogen plot alone and could be seen from the road one -fourth milêaway. Harvested results will be made in a supplemental report immediately following theearly July harvest.

Observations would indicate that the results of the 1959 demonstration plots will beduplicated in 1960.

Chemical nitrogen and phosphate will not be used intelligently and on a volume basisunless an informed and agressive extension service pushes for their adoption followingvillage trials.

A soil fertility build up program can best be achieved by supplementing animal andgreen manures with chemical nitrogen and phosphate. Animal Sand green manures are notpresent in sufficient quantities to maintain, let alone increase, production.

/D

FERTILE SOIL t.._Sii-=>vPOOR SOIL-

TEST POTS CLEAR UP WHEAT VARIETY PROBLEM

Numerous villagers reported to the Ministry of Agriculture and to the village ex-tension workers that they were dissatisfied with the germination and the growth perfor-mance of the Nebred variety, forty tons of which had been imported from the United Statesfor demonstration and seed multiplication purposes.

Fifteen wheat seeds from each of the Nebred, Londoni and Cheyenne varieties wereplaced in clay pots containing a fertile soil. The same number of seeds from thesevarieties were seeded in three pots containing a poor, worn out soil. All seeds germi-nated equally well in the good and poor soils, fifteen seedlings appearing simultaneouslyin all pots. At the end of four weeks, the number of plants was reduced to the strongestseven for further observation.

In four years of testing at the Aliabad research station, Nebred outyielded the bestAfghan variety of sixty tested by 32.9%. Cheyenne was 23.3% better. The Londoni varietywas secured from head selections in the Loghar Valley where it had been acclaimed thebest. Londoni was put into the comparative research trials for the first time in the fallof 1959.

By mid April, all three varieties in the fertile soil in pots assumed a dark greencolor, suffered no winter damage and stooled out beautifully. In the poor soil, allthree varieties grew slowly, failed to stool and remained semi dormant.

The villagers who put the Nebred on poor, worn out land or improperly drained soil,or failed to plant until early November, are probably correct when they say, "My local,or own wheat, is better than Nebred."

However, the real test or final answer will be recorded in the yields at harvesttime. If the devastating rust appears, the Nebred will probably show its true excellence.

It is very likely that Nebred, Londoni and Cheyenne varieties have selected germplasm which can use extra soil fertility while many local Afghan wheats are best suitedto marginal soils on which they have survived throu7hout many decades.

Continued observation and testing by research and extension specialists as well asvillagers themselves is necessary in order to obtain a correct appraisal of so called-vperior yielding wheats.

11

Hybrid Corn Has A Place InIncreasing Economical Food Production

THE PROMISE OF HYBRID MAIZE

In Afghanistan, the average yield of corn is low. Abdul Jalil of Chilsatoon villagedemonstrated that corn .un and should be improved. Mohammed Darwesh, Extension Agent,supervised the project.

532.8 seers or 121.8 bushels per acre resulted from two factors. The hybrid usedeliminated the barren stalks and the all too prevalent smut. It also was capable ofusing the extra fertility which was used on one half of both plots.

To yield well, the local corn must be seeded thick. An adjacent plot had 46,000plants per acre and yielded three times as much corn as when sown in 36 inch rows andthree feet apart in the row. The local corn was broadcast and was so thick that theweeds were held in check by shading. Three hoeings in the row corn were needed to con-trol the weeds. The local corn averaged seven small leaves per stalk while the hybridsaveraged 14 large broad leaves per stalk. The local corn when planted in three foot rowsdoes not have sufficient root system to take up the soil nutrients present. Neither doesthe local corn have sufficient leaf surface when seeded at the 16,000 plants per acrerate to manufacture an abundance of carbohydrates (by aid of the tremendous sunlight)from the soil nutrient's.

The local corn gave no visible response to chemical fertilizer when sown in rows orin the broadcast plot. All four hybrids used in the demonstration plot responded tofertilizer. The stalks were sturdier, and the leaves were larger and took on a darkergreen color. The average yield of the four hybrids was increased 21.2 bushels per acreby fertilizer.

2

One Demonstration Well DoneIs Worth Twenty -Five Poor Ones

CORN NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

For every Afghani spent for fertilizer, the return totalled 2.7 Afghanis - a neatprofit. The total cost of the fertilizer per acre was 687 Afghanis. The value of the

increase was 1,855 Afghanis. High yields of corn are dependent upon an ample sufficiencyof soil nutrients. On most villagers' fields this means that adding nitrogen and phos-phorus will pay a return on the investment.

More research trials and village tests must be made before recommendations regardingthe type of seed, methods of planting and the kind and amount of fertilizer to use.

The idea of using village demonstration plots is known as applicable testing and is.Intended to supplement research activities. Mr. Earl Moncur, head of the Wyoming Univer-:.ity team, and his present staff of research assistants gave me support and needed en-

couragement.

G26 matured in 100 to 105 days. G24a took 115 to 120 days to mature. G75a is a

full season corn taking 125 days to mature. The same hybrids will be used in eight or

more village tests in the 1960 season. The planting sate will be advanced ten days to

see if better pollination can be obtained. In addition, G711, an early corn, G706, amedium maturing variety, and G91 were taken to the Helmand Valley for July 1 planting.

The one year results should be used as a guide only. However, they clearly indi-cate that adaptable hybrids have a place in increasing economical food production inAfghanistan.

Poultry - A Youth Project

IMPROVING VILLAGE POULTRY

In November 1958 and in October 1959, onehundred twenty -six and one hundred fifteen pure-bred roosters were placed in villages in exchangefor roosters of mixed breeding and for thosetransmitting low egg production. The idea was toconcentrate the good roosters in a few villagesrather 41-1an place only one or two roosters in alarge nuuoer of scattered villages.

In the season of 1960, I would recommend thefollowing policies in the distribution of highbredAmerican roosters in order to avoid past mistakes.

Administrators and all parties concernedshould attend a meeting to determine how theAfghan government and its villagers could bestbenefit from the investment in American chickensbred for high egg production. In 1959 there wasno policy definitely adhered to and a wildscramble resulted.

Cages should be made available for hauling roosters to the village. Many of theroosters looked ragged and sickly from excess bouncing due to rough travelling when theyarrived in outlying villages.

In each village an educational program should precede the delivery of the roosters.The villager must be informed regarding the breeding, the size of the eggs, the necessityfor exchanging the roosters for two additional years, the feeding, care and management,as well as the desirability of eliminating the mongrel rooster or fighting cock.

Charge 30 Afs. or 10 Afs. plus a mongrel rooster for the well bred roosters.

Have three villagers from each village attend a one -day tour to see the Bene Hissarpoultry farm.

From the above recommendations it can be readily seen that I think many opportun-ities exist for improving the rooster distribution project.

Mr. Willette Keyselr, animal husbandry specialist with the Wyoming University, hasbeen exceedingly cooperative and helpful in all phases of the poultry project. He provedhimself to be an excellent teacher in presenting subject matter and demonstration materialin the annual short courses offered for the extension trainees.

Villages participating in the rooster distribution project follow: Paghman, Daisabs,Baghrami, Wardock, Maidan, Siab, Chowki, Calai Nau, Shakadara and Chilsatoon.

ly

ALFALFA YIELD CAN BE DOUBLED

Alfalfa, the wonder crop of the world,probably originated in Afghanistan. However,it remained unimproved. Buffalo, an Americanvariety, was found to be 25% better than thebest Afghan variety in the research trialsconducted by Wyoming University at the Ali -abad station at the Ministry of Agriculture.One ton of Buffalo was secured by the ICAfor demonstration and seed production pur-poses. Three tons more are being obtainedand will be distributed by the ExtensionService. Phosphate Gave A 44% Increase

As the result of village demonstrations, it can be said that the yield of alfalfa invillages can be more than doubled by adopting four practices.

1. Seed Buffalo alfalfa. a new improved strain which is wilt resistant. At the GovernorOosman farm at Paghman, the first cutting was increased 42%. The Buffalo yielded 8287##per jirib while the local alfalfa made 5660# per jirib. The freshly cut alfalfa wasweighed immediately after cutting. The difference in color, height and quality could beseen with the eye and was witnessed by many visitors.

2. Mix a liberal application of phosphorus with the soil lust before seeding. In sixtrials the average yield was increased from 10,200# per jirib to 14,700# green cut haybasis. All plots were Buffalo alfalfa. This represents a 44% increase and has tremen-dous significance. Nearly all Afghan soils are in dire need of phosphate. Alfalfa isespecially responsive to this element.

3. Inoculate all newly seeded alfalfa with a superior strain of nitrogen gatheria2bacteria. The Extension Service has been responsible for the distribution of the inoculant which has been multiplied in the plant protection department laboratory.

Not all agricultural soils contain the bacteria necessary to promote successfulgrowth of alfalfa. In Afghanistan over 150 fields were examined from Kandahar to Meinemaand from Kunduz to Herat. Very few noduleswere found on the roots. Inoculatingg theseed increased the number of nodules from 20per plant to 50 per plant. Seed inoculationmay be a splendid extension opportunity.

4. Seed early. whether planted in the Fallor in the Spring. Alfalfa seeded August 25made double the yield compared to alfalfaseeded four weeks later, or September 25.The early seeding trebled the yield com-pared to October 10 seeding. A heavy fallgrowth gives needed insurance againstwinter injury.

Early spring seeding (March 20 to April10) gives the alfalfa the advantage of theAvril showers.

Inoculation Made The fp:ancc

If The Teacher RUNS, The Class Will RUN

plying irrigation water for different crops;urinating wild rye from growing wheat in ordechemical fertilizer; in the selection of vilshade, uniform in fertility and are level in

SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING EXTENSION

In order for an agricultural extensionprogram to be successful, an outline of theprojects and the procedures to be followedmust be made.

The long -time program should result asan outgrowth of a well executed short -timeprogram. Future plans should result onlyafter experience is gained in carrying out asmall project successfully.

With very few exceptions, the presenttraining of the extension agents has notgiven them sufficient field experience thatthey can carry on successful village demon-strations. They need more knowledge and ex-perience in the use of insecticides; in sup-in harvesting demonstration plots; in eli-r to keep it pure; in the efficient use oflage demonstration plots which are free fromorder to secure proper irrigation.

Doing things on time will put more money in the villager's pocket than any othersingle management factor. Alfalfa, wheat and barley will all give a better response ifthe phosphate is mixed with the soil at the time the seed bed is prepared rather thanusing the phosphate as a top dressing. Since barley is seeded in late March or earlyApril an "in- service meeting" with the extension agents should be held in early March todemonstrate how to apply phosphate.

The optimum time of seeding alfalfa is before the April showers. Early seeding per-mits two crops of alfalfa to be taken during the late summer and early fall. Demonstrationcommodities like alfalfa seed, alfalfa inoculum, needed phosphate and chemical nitrogenmust be available prior to the optimum seeding time. Delay in assigning extension agentsis very, very costly as successful demonstrations depend on proper timing, planting, weederadication and harvesting.

A well planned calendar of work with monthly "in- service meetings" scheduled todemonstrate timely practices and superior methods should be made a part of administration

procedure. Doing things on time does make a difference.

The extension agents mist be contacted in the field, not only by an Americantechnician but by an Afghan technician. The latter must be given the responsibility ofmaking out timely programs. He must also be held responsible for the implementation andexecution of the extension program in the field. This means that an administrator andsubject matter specialist must be selected who is not continually tied to budget and

office administration. An agronomist would be preferable as most of the extension pro-

jects are centered around the problems of soils and crops.

I6

Keep Nebred Wheat Pure By Timely Roguing Of Wild Rye

BETTER EXTENSION METHODS SHOULD BE ADOPTED

Extension agents should be left in the same village long enough so that they can see

their own demonstration plots planted and harvested. Only two of the twelve agents as-

signed to villages nine months ago are at their original posts. New agents should beshown the projects and demonstrations carried on by his predecessor. Otherwise littlecontinuity follows and the morale of the village demonstrator as well as the new agent isdamaged.

New agents should receive copies of the projects and demonstrations in the village.A representative of the extension servie should introduce him to village officials andcooperators.

It is better to put six well trained agents in villages who can carry out gooddemonstrations and improved practices rather than have twelve or fourteen half trainedagents who are put into the village and not given administrative support because timeand personnel are in short supply.

At the earliest possible date every agent should live in the village. He should

have his own vegetable garden and raise his own chickens. When the extension supervisor

visits the village the agent would be present. He would proudly show his demonstrations.He would become a part of the village life and would get close to the people. Manyprecious hours are lost by agents who live in Kabul and commute back and forth to their

villages. An extension office where villagers could bring their own problems to theagent has proven a morale builder to the whole extension program in other countries.This should be tried ib the Kabul extension area.

Every effort should be made to secure teachers for the training center who have theability to supplement the lecture method of teaching with the vocational and demonstra-tional method. The teacher cannot show the trainees unless he had had experience in doingthe thing that he is advocating and teaching. The size of the training center and thecurriculum must of necessity be geared to the number of teachers who can use the demon-stration method.

f?

If The Land Becomes Well, The PEOPLEOn The Land Wiil Become As Well As The LAND

USEFUL AND TIMELY EXTENSION AXIOMS

Demonstration is the BEST way to get people to accept new ideas.

There is an opportunity in every problem and not a problem in every opportunity.

To motivate, you must illustrate.

The soil is the foundation of Afghanistan. To see one is to see the other.

If you cannot get rid of your prejudices, at least you should rearrange them.

The eye is a better teacher and more willing than the ear.

Work cannot ce gotten out of an ox without feeding it. Neither can profit be obtainedfrom the soil without feeding it.

If your soil lacks nitrogen, you pay for it, whether you use it or not.

Prejudice is a great time saver. It enables people to form opinions without bothering-to get the facts.

One picture is worth one thousand words.

An exploited or exhausted soil like flat tires will not carry you far.

Research takes the errors out of the trial and error system.

It is better to light a candle than to curse the .arkness.

The Deity furnishes feed for the birds, but he does not put the food in their nests.

The final crop of any soil is PEOPLE and the spirit of the PEOPLE.

1,

AN EXTENSION PRINCIPLE

Repeated in Rhyme

DEMONSTRATION

ERT

ACKU°aotayg

I'd rather see a lessonThan hear one any dayI'd rather you would walk with meThan merely show the way

The eye's a better teacherAnd more willing than the earAnd counsel is confusingBut examples always clear

The best of all the teachersAre those who live their creedsTo see good put to actionIs what everybody needs

I can soon learn to do itIf you'll let me see it doneI can watch your hands in actionBut your tongue to fast may run

And the counsel you are givingMay be very fine and trueBut I'd rather get my lessonBy observing what you do.

Author unknown

This poem was brought to theOrient from the United States by

an International Farm Youth Ex-change student.

Inoculating Alfalfa

I can soon learn to do itIf you'll let me see it done

Demonstrating Plant Nutrition

The eye's a better teacher

And more willing than the ear

19

Weed Eradication:

Counsel is confusingBut examples always c ar