Rich incentives for opium poppy switch

Millions of dollars are to be spent by the British and American governments in another attempt to get Afghan farmers to switch from producing opium to other crops.

Under the new scheme, farmers will be offered options ranging from buying vegetable and fruit seeds at low prices to taking up labouring jobs in public works in place of selling their poppy crop to traffickers.

British and American officials say this is a more acceptable alternative to stepping up the eradication programme which has led to anger among farmers and clashes with Afghan forces sent to destroy poppy fields.

Proceeds from the opium trade are believed to fund the Taleban and fuel the endemic corruption that has gravely weakened governance in Afghanistan.The plan needs to be in place by autumn when farmers tend to borrow money from drug traffickers and the Taleban for the winter months.

- INDEPENDENT