Marines facilitate upgrade of distribution center to accommodate 400 tons of wheat seed

Photo By Sgt. Scott Whittington | Capt. Micah Caskey, civil affairs team leader for 2/8, photographs a storage room after its facelift. Local construction workers placed concrete on the dirt floor to safeguard wheat seed. This room is one of 14 in the building.  

GARMSIR DISTRICT, AFGHANISTAN

09.27.2009

Story by Sgt. Scott Whittington 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand Province, Afghanistan — With the intent of lowering poppy harvest here, the district governor provides wheat seed as a potentially lucrative alternative for local farmers. Poppy can lead to the production of illegal opiates and heroin, which is one of the main incomes for the Taliban.

Marines with 4th Civil Affairs Group in support of 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3, facilitated the construction upgrade of a government warehouse to house 400 tons of wheat seed and 1,000 tons of fertilizer provided free of cost to local farmers by Haji Abdullah Jan, the Garmsir District governor.

The 14-room government building had no constructed floors. It was simply dirt and debris like rocks and unused bricks. The CAG Marines contracted local construction workers to lay concrete down to safeguard the wheat. Currently, 10 of the 14 rooms have new floors, and there are plans to improve the other four as well.

During the CAG Marines' most recent patrol to the distribution center, a contractor said he's willing to do what he can to help the Afghan people. He said he takes pride in restoring a government building and helping local families

Last year, the program benefited 3,700 farming families. This year, the goal is 4,400 families.

"It's a valuable tool to provide an alternative to poppy growth," said Capt. Micah Caskey, civil affairs team leader for 2/8, referencing the district's wheat seed program. "The program gives farmers a tangible symbol that their government is working hard to help them provide for their families."

Caskey said the district governor asked village elders during several shuras about which families were most in need of the seed.

"I feel great, because I'm doing work to help the people here," said Lance Cpl. Andrew L. Colon, 23, civil affairs specialist and Great Mills, Md., native. "The people are improving their lives."

A similar wheat seed distribution program is also currently ongoing in Nawa District, neighboring Garmsir to the north, and it is a sign that the Afghan government is growing more capable of providing local solutions to local problems, according to Caskey.

• Date Taken: 09.27.2009
• Date Posted: 09.27.2009 15:33
• Story ID: 39332
• Location: GARMSIR DISTRICT, AF