Attachment_J.11_The_Importance_of_Permaculture-based_Kitchen_Gardening.docx

Attachment J.11 – The Importance of Permaculture-based Kitchen Gardening as a Way of Achieving Food Security & Better Nutrition at the Rural Household Level – The NAEC Approach

Introduction

FAO Afghanistan (FAO, 2011) has identified the key areas that need development in order to achieve sustainable agricultural development in the country. These areas are all addressed through an educational program that focuses on girls’ education using permaculture and nutrition concepts in the curricula. These are:

· improve food security and nutrition;

· promote agriculture and rural development;

· ensure sustainable management of renewable natural resources;

· build capacity in the agricultural sector;

· assist vulnerable farmers to resume their livelihoods, and

· contribute towards generating viable, alternative livelihoods.

Kitchen gardens (also called backyard or home gardens) have been identified as an important source for improving food security and nutrition. These gardens have an established tradition and offer great potential for improving household food security and alleviating micronutrient deficiencies. They are also the exclusive domain of female members of the household. Kitchen gardening can enhance food security in several ways, most importantly through: 1) direct access to a diversity of nutritionally-rich foods, 2) increased purchasing power from savings on food bills and income from sales of garden products, and 3) fall-back food provision during seasonal lean periods (FAO, 2010).

The Dutch funded NAEC program recognised early on that the needs of female students’ agricultural education needs were different from those of male students. Notably special attention was given to kitchen gardening and its positive effects on household nutrition. For customarily household/kitchen gardening resources are very limited – small area, few funds for inputs, little water. As a result, an additional curriculum was developed that focused on kitchen gardening with permaculture principles guiding this development, as it addresses most of the issues typical for women’s agriculture. A permaculture garden site was established on the teaching farm at NAEC that served as demonstration for all students (see image 1).

Introduction to ATVET and NAEC (National Agriculture Education College)

The Dutch funded ATVET project (2011 - 2021) is designed to improve the quality of education at the more than 120 agricultural high schools that are found throughout mostly rural Afghanistan. These are vocational schools that teach at grade levels 10 - 12. To reach its overall objective it has four sub-components:

· the establishment of NAEC (National Agriculture Education College), a teacher training college that provides pre- and in-service training for teachers of agricultural high schools both. NAEC started in 2012 and currently has some 500 students. Pre-service training at NAEC takes two years at grade levels 13-14.

· The development of an entirely new curriculum for agricultural high schools. This curriculum newly introduces the social, gender and commercial aspects related to farming and rural livelihoods. The curriculum proposed by ATVET was approved by the Ministry of Education in 2014. Piloting and roll-out occurs in 2014 - 2016.

· A study and subsequent pilot in Baghlan which tests ways of delivering agricultural education to women in rural areas (Edu2Fem).

· Direct (or material) support to agricultural high schools to ensure that they have sufficient equipment to deliver high quality relevant education.

Education at both agricultural high schools and NAEC cover a broad range of topics. The schools belong to the TVET system and much attention is given to the transfer of knowledge and skills. Food security and nutrition are part of the curriculum (see annex 2).

Permaculture

Permaculture is a system for resilient agricultural production based on natural patterns and environmental principles for increasing soil productivity and agricultural production. It is an intensive approach that builds on principles of vertical production, companion planting, and nutrient cycling as well as effective water usage. Importantly, it requires very few external inputs and can save households money. Some of the components include: mulching and composting to build soil, use of weeds (for pest control as well as consumption), berms and swales to capture water and build soil, water catchment systems, companion planting, good insect populations, and vertical planting.

This type of production encourages a variety of plants that support and enhance production. It also encourages planting of crops and vegetables that are highly nutritious. For example legumes are planted with grains, while fruit and nut trees are used as livestock fodder. Herbs are planted with vegetables to deter insect pests. Green, leafy vegetables (high in iron) do exceptionally well in a permaculture system when planted beneath trellis that support peas and/or cucumbers[footnoteRef:2]. Livestock too play a critical role in the permaculture garden and provide iron rich food for the household. Several kinds of poultry can play an important role in eating pest insects. Chickens are great at hunting for insects, particularly the smaller bantam breeds. Ducks do a good job at controlling insects, and are especially valuable of course for their ability to eat slugs and snails. [2: Another example is cilantro (coriander) which is widely used in the Afghan diet. This is an herb that deters pests and is highly nutritious. Cilantro’s deep-green leaves possess good amounts of antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins, and dietary fiber. Its leaves and seeds contain many essential volatile oils. It is a good source of minerals like iron, potassium, calcium, manganese, and magnesium. 100 g of cilantro leaves provide 30% of daily recommended levels of vitamin-C and provides 6748 IU of vitamin-A per 100 g, about 225% of recommended daily intake. Cilantro is one of the richest herbal sources for vitamin K; provide about 258% of the daily recommended intakes. It grows well as a companion plant with members of the onion family like garlic or chives, as well as with rosemary, especially in an herb spiral or key-hole beds that make maximum benefit of available water.]

Permaculture, when supplemented with agri-business and nutrition in the curricula is a very appropriate approach for the Afghan culture and environment. A detailed description of an edible forest or permaculture garden with relevant notes of implementation in Afghanistan is included in annex 1. With good permaculture design shrubs and trees can offer other benefits as well, such as the creation of fire retarding windbreaks and shelter belts, or alleys to limit wind erosion.

Educating women in agriculture

The principles of permaculture are of course widely applicable and not gender specific. However, kitchen gardening is ideally suited to it and in Afghanistan almost the exclusive domain of women. This fits in well with NAEC efforts to increase the participation of women in agricultural education. Over the last several years NAEC has undertaken several (some innovative) approaches in the support of female participation in the agricultural economy. Some of these include:

· Inclusion of Afghan women to train at Wageningen University for their Masters and for positions on the faculty at NAEC.

· The development of a pre-entrance exam course (since there were not enough female students who had graduated from agriculture high schools -a prerequisite for joining NAEC- the faculty created an agriculture refresher course for female graduates of regular high school who had applied to attend NAEC. It should be noted that all female participants of this refresher course took the NAEC entrance Exam and all had very good marks and all were accepted to the NAEC program).

· Development of permaculture, agri-business and nutrition curricula for female students (in addition to the regular agricultural topics / not instead of the regular curricula).

· Transportation for female students of NAEC.

· Construction of female dormitories at the new NAEC campus.

· Creating the ATVET Edu2Fem program in Baghlan.

In spite of the above it remains difficult to attract women from rural areas to study in Kabul. But also in the provinces itself this remains difficult. In 2014, only 2% of agricultural high school students were female (at NAEC the figure stands at 15%). Thus in 2014 also the ATVET project researched ways to reach out to women in rural areas through a combination of distance learning and on site vocational training.

In 2015, this approach will be piloted in Baghlan under the name of Edu2fem. If successful, the project will expand to other provinces to increase the number of female agricultural high school students (and in a more distance future female teachers). As the curriculum will include permaculture based kitchen gardening the impact on household level food security and nutrition is expected to be substantial.

Summary

Conventional agriculture production methods invert the soil, destroy its structure, and have led to increasing land degradation and deforestation. Permaculture on the other hand, refers to a number of practices that in combination build and conserve soil and moisture, saves fertiliser, seeds, energy, focuses on nutrient cycling, incorporation of small scale animal production (chickens and small ruminants), and has many benefits for women in Afghanistan. It reduces and spreads women’s workload over time and reduces women’s burden on fetching water. It saves cost and has no cultural tenets that would contravene its application. Permaculture is the most appropriate way of raising the quality of nutrition at the household level in Afghanistan.

Still there are no quick fixes to improve food security or nutrition at the household level. Yet the approach taken by NAEC is promising. It tackles the problems where they originate: women are key decision makers about the nutrition they provide families with, even if much of the decision making is implicit. Through kitchen gardening in rural and semi-urban areas they also produce much of the food items (both vegetable and animal) consumed by the household. Permaculture is very suited to kitchen gardening as it increases yields and nutritional values, yet reduces reliance on scarce external (often commercial) inputs such as water and fertiliser. Thus the three-pronged approach of promoting female participation in agricultural education, improving kitchen gardening and introducing the principles of permaculture is expected to result in substantial improvements in food security and nutrition.

NAEC is well placed to lead the effort of training female students in agriculture, and some even becoming teachers in their communities. This process is neither an easy one nor one without its set-backs, but a cultural appropriate manner of building women’s empowerment and decision making over the families nutrition.

In this context sspecific NAEC areas and relevant areas of expertise are:

· Experience working with both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock with demonstrated links of cross-training activities with MAIL Extension Staff.

· Experience at developing Permaculture, Agri-Business and Nutrition curricula relevant to Afghan culture.

· Experience at implementing Permaculture on the NAEC Teaching Farm.

· Experience at developing an agricultural education program that is inclusive of women and women’s specific educational needs.

REFERENCES:

FAO, 1997. Gender and participation in agricultural development planning: lessons from Afghanistan.

FAO 2010: http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/nutrition/household_gardens_en.stm

Fantastic Farms. 2015. Permaculture Livestock Feeding Systems Animal Fodder and Pasture Plants for Year Round Green Fodder. http://www.small-farm-permaculture-and-sustainable-living.com/livestock_feeding_systems.html

Grace, Jo. 2004. AREU. Gender Roles in Afghanistan: Case studies of five villages in northern Afghanistan. Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit.

Kuppers, Maira. 2014. ATVET/NAEC. Edu2Fem Research Data.

Nickel, Catharina. 2015. Distance Learning in Afghanistan: Implementing teacher training in agricultural education via distance learning - Dutch Afghan ATEVT project. Edu2Fem in Baghlan.

Permaculture Research Institute. 2013. http://permaculturenews.org/2013/12/04/re-foresting-afghanistan/

Annex I – A brief summary of the application of permaculture principles in the context of Afghanistan.

1. Canopy or Tall Tree Layer

In Afghanistan, this could be fruit or nut trees such as pine or pistachio or nitrogen-fixing forage trees such as the many species of acacias and the Moringa oleifera, which provide forage as well as shade.

2. Sub-Canopy/Large Shrub Layer

Typically 10-30 feet (3-9 meters) high. The majority of fruit trees fall into this layer.

3. Shrub Layer

Typically up to 10 feet (3 meters) high. The majority of fruiting bushes fall into this layer. Includes many nut, flowering, medicinal, and other beneficial plants as well. Often times, it is this layer that provides the fodder for livestock during the dry season.

4. Herbaceous Layer

Plants in this layer die back to the ground every winter… if winters are cold enough, that is. They do not produce woody stems as the Shrub layer does. Many vegetables and herbs are in this layer. A large variety of other beneficial plants fall into this layer including those with high iron levels, including legumes, beans, grains, squashes, and leafy greens.

5. Groundcover/Creeper Layer

There is some overlap with the Herbaceous layer and the Groundcover layer; however plants in this layer are often shade tolerant, grow much closer to the ground, grow densely to fill bare patches of soil, and often can tolerate some foot traffic. Sometimes this includes weeds such as clovers, wild purslane, chick weed, and chicory, and provide nutrition during the dry season. It is important to note that Permaculture not only does not overlook the value of wild edible plants but encourages their production and use in the diet. Many wild edible plants are leafy greens which are high in vitamins and minerals.

6. Underground Layer

These are root crops. There are an amazing variety of edible roots such as potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, horseradish and sun chokes.

7. Vertical/Climber Layer

These vining and climbing plants span multiple layers depending on how they are trained or what they climb all on their own. They are a great way to add more productivity to a small space. In this picture of the NAEC Permaculture Teaching Garden, Swiss chard is being grown beneath Nasturtium flowers, cucumbers and green beans on the trellis.

8. Aquatic/Wetland Layer

This layer is not very relevant to most areas of Afghanistan but is not critical to the garden if other water saving approaches are implemented such as berms and swales, sunken beds, wind breaks, and shading.

9. Mycelial/Fungal Layer

Fungal networks live in healthy soils. This underground fungal network transports nutrients and moisture from one area of the garden t to another depending on the needs of the plants. In addition to the vital work this layer contributes to developing and maintaining the soil, it will even provide mushrooms from time to time that can be utilized for food and medicine. This layer is missing altogether in most places of Afghanistan but can be reintroduced through the use of small pit composting units in the garden beds, as being demonstrated in this picture at the NAEC Permaculture Garden.

Annex II – 2014 Agricultural High School Curriculum

ATVET nutrition & food security New Curriculum for AHS-Learning Objectives and competences per domain

I: Animal sciences domain

After this introductory course the students are able to:

· Determine and identify internal and external anatomy and physiology of domestic animals.

· Define and describe the basic concepts and principles of animal husbandry in Afghanistan and the importance of domestic/farm animals to the health, well-being of society, economy and environment.

· Identify the local and main exotic breeds, species of domestic/farm animals and recognize their characteristics, as well as differentiate between animals (breeds, species) in the field (or on illustrations).

· Demonstrate safe, accurate handling of domestic/farm animals.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Observe domestic/farm animals and recognize the husbandry practices related to housing, handling, and feeding of different animals.

· Assist with management and handling animals in a safe, appropriate way.

Attitude competences:

· Sensitive to the needs of the animals

· Careful in hygiene practices.

· Observant and patient when handling animals.

· Practical

· Analytical

After this year course, the students are able to:

· Determine and identify differences and similarities between sheep and goats, as well as the production systems including housing needs, management and basic record keeping.

· Explain the essentials of nutrition, reproduction, health and hygiene of sheep and goats.

· Describe the value chain and marketing of various sheep and goat products and demonstrate how to safely process the dairy products, animal meat, wool, hair and skins, as well as by-products such as ruminant content, hooves, etc.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Assist others in improving nutrition, housing, reproduction and health of sheep and goats.

· Prepare a simple record keeping system for a sheep and goat farm.

· Be able to process some sheep and goat products.

· Ensure proper conditions for slaughtering, cutting and storage of meat and other animal products.

Attitude competences:

· Aware of the importance of hygiene and systematic work during processing of animal products.

· Hands on and careful when handling animals.

· Practical

· Resourceful

After this year course, the students are able to:

· Identify and classify different types and breeds of domestic fowls, as well as the different management practices.

· Explain poultry rearing practices both on the level of family/backyard, and commercial/industrial poultry systems including requirements for housing, equipment, feed and, health and hygiene.

· Demonstrate safe and proper handling of fowls and the products.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Start up and/or manage small-scale poultry production with proper feeding and housing to produce marketable products.

· Operate and develop a (mini) hatchery.

· Assist others in improving nutrition, housing, equipment and health of domestic fowls.

Attitude competences:

· Hands on and careful when handling animals and products.

· Aware of the importance of hygiene and sanitation.

· Practical

· Resourceful

· Entrepreneurial

After this year course, the students are able to:

· Explain the functions of cattle in various agricultural production system and their different cattle management and production practices.

· Describe the reproduction, breeding and selection of cattle including artificial insemination.

· Explain nutrition and feeding practices, and factors influencing good and bad health of cattle.

· Describe the value chain and marketing of various animal products and demonstrate how to safely and properly process dairy, meat and by-products.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Assist with management, handling, and feeding cattle in a safe, appropriate way.

· Assist others in improving breeding and selection, nutrition and feeding, and health of cattle.

· Be able to process a few dairy, meat and by-products.

· Ensure proper conditions for slaughtering, cutting and storage of meat and other animal products.

Attitude competences:

· Hands on and careful when handling animals and products.

· Aware of the importance of hygiene and sanitation.

· Systematic during processing of animal products.

· Practical

· Resourceful

· Entrepreneurial

After this course, the students are able to:

· Describe the main methods and proper equipment for fish farming and bee keeping.

· Explain the steps on how to start up a fish farming or bee keeping business.

· Demonstrate safe and proper handling when managing fish or bees.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Manage and feed fish in a safe, appropriate way with some guidance.

· Start up or manage a beekeeping operation in a professional way by using good tools/equipment and protection.

· Investigate business opportunities for fish farming or beekeeping.

Attitude competences:

· Open to and resourceful in seeking appropriate ways to supplement farm income.

· Entrepreneurial

· Analytical

· Practical

· Resourceful

Feeds and Feeding Range Management

· Describe key feeding habits and needs of larger livestock (ruminants -large and small- and equines) in terms of chemical composition, energy, nutrition, palatability, and maturity of fodder.

· Describe forage crops available for livestock in Afghanistan (hay and pasture grasses and legumes); and differentiate feed types (rangeland feeding, planted crops, crop residues, conserved fodder, and bought supplements) and how their use varies seasonally, and between sedentary and mobile livestock systems.

· Explain production of different planted fodder systems, as well as fodder conservation practices.

· Explain principles of sustainable rangeland management (local and national). List the main government institutions involved in this topic area.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Recognise different feeding needs of the various farm livestock types in Afghanistan, and where to go to fulfil them.

· Produce different types of feed (planted and conserved) that is nutritious.

· Assess/calculate the annual feed (and water) needs of a herd.

Attitude competences:

· Observant of and respectful for rangeland environment and resources.

· Resourceful/creative

· Practical

II: Plant sciences domain

Principles of Horticulture

· Describe the importance, use and range of different types of horticulture crops (ornamentals, vegetables, pomology) in Afghanistan, and relate them to plant classification systems.

· Explain general needs of plants for growth (water and nutrients, photosynthesis and respiration) and how these relate to site selection, land preparation, crop rotation/intercropping and maintenance of horticultural crops.

· Describe (and demonstrate some) different plant propagation practices (division, separation, layers, by cuttings, grafting & budding, and tissue culture).

· Outline the needs and practices involved in kitchen and market gardens - as well as covered horticulture systems.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Demonstrate different plant propagation practices.

· Design a kitchen garden for your area.

· Assist with a market garden.

· Select a covered cultivation system relevant to your area.

Attitude competences:

· Observant of different types of horticultural plants

· Self-starter in gardening for food and extra income.

· Analytical

· Practical

· Resourceful/Adaptive

· Able to make a plan

· Explain the importance/value of fruit (small, tree and vine fruits), vegetables and nuts to family nutrition and income.

· List the most important vegetable, fruit and nut crops in Afghanistan and indicate their special needs for good growth, plant protection, harvesting and processing.

· Demonstrate the technique of establishing tree nurseries, and preparing, seeding and (trans)planting of trees.

· Explain harvesting and post-harvest needs of, and describe processing options for various vegetable, fruit and nuts in Afghanistan.

· Demonstrate record-keeping for fruit and nut orchards.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Grow vegetables and certain fruit and nut trees.

· Establish a fruit/nut tree nursery.

· Practise methods of grafting, budding, pruning and training fruit and nut trees and grapes.

· Do some processing of fruit, nut and vegetable types.

· Keep records for fruit and nut orchards.

Attitude competences:

· Aware of nutrition basics.

· Self-starter in keeping fruit and nut trees.

· Analytical

· Practical

· Entrepreneurial

· Describe the importance/value, use and range of different types of field crops in Afghanistan, and relate them to plant classification systems.

· Explain and describe the special needs of field crops in terms of land preparation (with use of draught and tractor power), larger scale soil fertility and watering practices, plant protection and field crop cultivation practices

· Describe and provide examples of crop rotation, intercropping and other cultivation practices.

· Indicate the needs for field crop storage.

· List the most important industrial field crops (and their products) in Afghanistan and indicate their special needs for good growth, harvesting and post-harvest handling.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Apply proper land preparation techniques for field crop production

· Demonstrate good intercropping and crop rotation practices for field crops.

· Design proper storage facilities for different kinds of field crops.

· Recognise different industrial field crops and their products.

· Observant of different types of field preparation methods as well as field crops.

· Practical

· Analytical

· Creative

· Able to make a plan

· List the most important cereal crops in Afghanistan and indicate their special needs for good growth, harvesting and post-harvest handling.

· List the most important legume/pulse crops in Afghanistan and indicate their special needs for good growth, harvesting and post-harvest handling.

· Describe processing options of cereals and field crops commonly grown in Afghanistan.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Grow certain field and cereal crops in well-situated fields.

· Apply appropriate techniques for seeding, watering and harvesting of field/cereal crops.

· Apply appropriate processing and conservation techniques to various field and cereal crops.

Attitude competences:

· Adaptive

· Practical

· Analytical

· Resourceful/Adaptive

· Explain the importance of forest ecosystems, in terms of their role in water, nutrient and carbon cycling, in energy systems and regarding climate change.

· List the advantages and limitations of trees in agroforestry and other land use practices in terms of ecological processes and soil & water conservation.

· List important (non-fruit and nut) tree species and their products in Afghanistan.

· Review sustainable tree propagation and management principles.

· Explain processing options of tree products.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Use trees to improve sustainable land use practices – in rural and urban areas.

· Apply basic forest conservation practices, including fire management, harvesting and reforestation practices.

· Demonstrate some examples of processing of wood products.

Attitude competences:

· Sensitive to the wider importance of trees and forest ecosystems locally, nationally and globally

· Analytical

· Resourceful

· Practical

· Explain the basics of DNA, cell multiplication, hybrids and genetic modification – and relate this to plants and animals.

· Describe and demonstrate techniques for plant breeding and seed production.

· Explain the right way of harvesting, storing, packaging, quality control and certification of seeds.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Use a microscope and identify different parts of a cell.

· Know how to test whether seed is viable or not.

· Demonstrate good seed harvesting, storage and handling practices.

Attitude competences:

· Analytical

· Practical

· Analytical

· Describe and give examples of general types of harmful & beneficial organisms (insects, weeds, fungus, etc.) which can support or hamper plant growth

· Describe the biology and life cycle of various harmful & beneficial organisms

· Explain the principles of Integrated Pest Management.

· List and describe some basic (IPM) techniques to avoid or remove pests in a safe way (mechanical, biological, cultural and chemical methods).

· Demonstrate how to make natural pesticides from locally available ingredients.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Determine in the field if a crop suffers from a pest and identify in general what kind of pest it is.

· Apply some basic IPM techniques to avoid or remove pests in a safe way.

· Use and store chemical additives in a way that minimises risks to human health.

Attitude competences:

· Open to recognising life cycles of organisms that harm or benefit crops.

· Creative in finding different ways to protect crops and to manage pest and disease problems.

· Practical

· Resourceful/Creative

· Analytical

· Distinguish various tools and machinery and explain the different agricultural usages.

· Evaluate which tools and machinery are appropriate for certain activities to make the work more effective and efficient.

· Explain how to safely operate and maintain tools and machinery.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Safely operate a number of tools and machinery on the farm and fields.

· Perform basic maintenance of various agricultural tools and machinery.

· Instruct and explain to others on how to operate a certain tool or machinery.

Attitude competences:

· Careful about the needs of tools and machinery so that they last a long time.

· Practical

· Resourceful

· Analytical

III: Land and Water domain

· Define and determine the basic components of soils (e.g. soil horizon, soil porosity, soil texture and soil structure), and water (e.g salinity, sediment level, contamination level).

· Describe the relationship between soils, water, air, nutrients, soil living organisms and plant growth and make systemic overviews of it (e.g. soil-water balance, soil food web) at the field level.

· List the most important nutrients required for crop growth, and explain different soil fertility practices; describe the process of composting and how to make and apply compost and mulch.

· List different water sources in a watershed, their characteristics and their uses.

· Describe different soil and water conservation practices at the field level.

After the completion of the AHS curriculum the graduate is able to:

· Take simple soil samples and assess its characteristics for agricultural production purposes.

· Demonstrate basic soil and water conservation practices at field level.

· Demonstrate soil fertility methods, including making compost.

· Identify possible water sources in rural areas for agricultural production purposes.

Attitude competences:

· More aware of what soil system dynamics, and how important it is for crops.

· Creative and careful in managing soil and water resources on the farm.

· Analytical

· Practical

· Resourceful

· Describe the technical and social aspects of different forms of irrigation in Afghanistan at system level.

· Calculate irrigation water requirements for a specific crop [OR define the difference between various crops and systems in relation to irrigation water requirements].

· Apply different types of irrigation at field level and describe its suitability for specific crops.

After the completion of the AHS curriculum the graduate is able to:

· Identify the technical and social aspects of the irrigation system(s) in the region.

· Determine more or less the irrigation water requirements for a particular crop in a specific region.

· Recognise different irrigation structures.

· Apply various irrigation techniques at field level to optimise agricultural production.

Attitude competences:

· Careful about maintaining irrigation infrastructures and networks.

· Realising the importance of team working in irrigation systems.

· Analytical

· Practical

· Able to make a plan

IV: Agribusiness and Rural Development domain

· Explain the multifunctional role of rural areas and agriculture as well as the main challenges of development in rural areas locally and nationally.

· Describe basic concepts of rural development, infrastructures, etc. as well as the role of farmers associations in the context of Afghanistan and neighbouring countries.

· Identify social values, traditions and needs of rural communities. Describe gender-based roles in agriculture and in rural life and reflect on reasons for division.

· Conduct a small exploration study in a rural area in their school’s region.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Assist in basic tasks in rural development projects, including working together with farmers’ associations.

· Investigate rural development problems, the people related and affected, and identify where to go to find solutions to the problems.

Attitude competences:

· A good networker and communicator.

· Sensitive to different roles and traditions in society, and how they affect rural areas in which they work.

· Able to work in teams and with various groups.

· Analytical

· Open and able to work together with others

· Describe basic economic and financial terms applicable at the enterprise level and some at the whole-farm level.

· Explain the concepts of supply, demand and price, and relate it to the local and national food markets.

· Explain the relation and differences between micro- and macroeconomics and the link to agriculture as well as the influence of decision making.

· Use basic statistics, tables and make simple graphs.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Make calculations related to finances beyond the farm level

· Analyse basic statistics, tables and make simple graphs

Attitude competences:

· Analytical and systematic

· Analytical and systematic

· List and explain functions in the marketing of agricultural products and identify the steps followed in marketing a particular agricultural product, including transportation, grading, storage, handling, packaging, adding value, manufacturing and sales.

· Explain marketing channels, including retailers and wholesalers.

· Describe how a cooperative functions, and identify different ways farmers can use cooperatives.

· Explain the concept of value chain and all its important components (e.g. processing, quality, support services, regulations).

· Make a basic marketing plan including a brief analysis of the market.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Assist others in marketing agricultural products.

· Make a basic marketing plan for an agricultural product relevant to their area.

· Identify different ways to improve the value of a product, by focusing on the value chain from farm to marketplace.

· Interview different actors in the value chain from farm to marketplace.

· Adaptive

· Creative/Resourceful

· Networking

· Able to make a marketing plan

· Practical

· Resourceful/Adaptive/Creative

· Able to work together with others

· Analyse a farm situation and identify some decisions that could lead to improved operations and organization.

· Explain the importance of management functions (planning, organization human resources, leadership and monitoring) and prepare a basic plan for a farm (e.g. maintenance plan).

· Prepare simple records for the assets of a farm and make a farm budget.

· Prepare a simple book-keeping record for a farm and perform basic calculations for accounting purposes.

After the completion of the AHS curriculum the graduate is able to:

· Assist in the management of a small-scale farm in relation to resources, basic book-keeping, storage and hygiene.

· Prepare a simple plan for a farm to improve its performance.

Attitude competences:

· Organised

· Systematic

· Practical

· Make and follow a plan

· Analytical

· Explain what agricultural extension is and why it is important; Make a link between extension and research.

· Describe different extension approaches, and how they have changed over time.

· Describe various communications media and agricultural extension/advisory services (government, NGO or private) in rural areas, and how farmers can use them.

· Explain about farmer leaders and their role in extension.

After the completion of the AHS curriculum the graduate is able to:

· Assist farmers to get access to extension services.

· Interview farmers about their farming needs.

· Design a communications strategy for agricultural extension messages.

Attitude competences:

· Sensitive to ways of communicating with farmers

· Analytical

· Creative

· Able to make a plan

· Able to work together with others

· Describe the rules, relations and possibilities of an agribusiness organisation in Afghanistan.

· Explain how to make a marketing feasibility study and an agribusiness plan.

· List and describe different techniques of preserving and processing agricultural products (juicing, drying, smoking, freezing, heating, adding salt or sugar, pickling, making dairy products, making oils…) and provide examples relevant to Afghanistan

· Describe international food safety rules, and the quality standards and export regulations of agricultural products.

After the completion of the AHS curriculum the graduate is able to:

· Prepare a basic business plan for an agricultural enterprise as an individual entrepreneur or in a cooperative.

· Classify a specific value chain for the purpose of processing or marketing a product.

· Cooperate well in an agribusiness organisation.

· Know where to go to network to improve their business.

· Assist in processing of industrial crops.

· Perform basic quality control, packaging and record-keeping for marketing and export.

Attitude competences:

· Innovative

· Self-starting

· Organised planner

· Entrepreneurial

· Analytical

· Resourceful/Creative

· Able to work together with others

· Able to make a plan

V: Integrated Systems domain

· Explain an ecological (or ecosystem) approach to land use, and define basic ecological concepts (organism, species, population, community, interactions, food web).

· Describe concepts of ecosystem services, biodiversity, and renewable/non-renewable resources – and make links to land use.

· Explain basic principles of water and nutrient cycles and how these link to natural resource use and degradation in rural and urban areas.

· Describe sustainability and sustainable natural resource management principles. Give examples of urban water and waste management practices.

· Provide details about Afghanistan’s Environment Law and identify different government actors involved in natural resource conservation.

After the completion of the AHS education the graduate is able to:

· Recognise interactions between landscape, ecological processes and resource use practices.

· Apply good water and waste management practices.

· Know where to go to get information and potential advice on resource management problems.

· Sensitive to and respectful of the value of the natural environment, and interactions between ecosystems.

· Analytical

· Creative

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