This is how you fight a war on drugs!

[3113]

Haji Abdul Ghayoum squats over a plant that pushes a magnificent rainbow of color up from cracked soil. The 42-year-old farmer runs his weathered hands through the green leaves and purple petals. Next, he fingers the red stigmas - thread-like filaments that are changing this part of the world.

In an effort to eradicate opium production, the Afghan government, international aid groups and private businesses are distributing saffron crocus bulbs to farmers in this region along the Iran border. The farmers say their new crop is better suited to their religious beliefs (Islam prohibits the use and sale of illicit drugs) and, ultimately, is more profitable.

Worldwide demand for Afghan saffron is rising, and the price has doubled in the past year to an average of $1,360 per pound - or roughly 38 times what poppy farmers in the southern part of the country earn.

ohmygawd! You mean...common sense works?

Rest of the story here.

 

[Belegon]

It is always better to be able to better the planet AND feed one's family.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Hmmm . . . saffron rice, yummy. You go, Pushtans!

 

[Liar]

It is always better to be able to better the planet AND feed one's family.

Which is why I eat lawyers.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Which is why I eat lawyers.

How are they? I'd imagine them somewhat stiff and tasteless . . .

 

[Stella_Omega]

There are a couple other crops, probably. Ginseng ought to do well in the same climate...

(eta)Saffron gets 38 times the value of poppy!

 

[R. Richard]

ohmygawd! You mean...common sense works?

Yes, common sense does work. However, first they had to try to bully the farmers not to grow opium poppies. Then, they had to try to destroy the opium poppies in the field. After both of the preceeding methods failed, only then did they try common sense.

By the way, the growing of saffron is relatively easy, but the harvesting of saffron is manual, stoop labor. Thus, the poor people of the region get a chance to swap their labor, the only thing they really have, for very nice amounts of cash.

 

[Liar]

How are they? I'd imagine them somewhat stiff and tasteless . . .

The young ones still have some juice in them. And now I'll have saffron to spice it up with. Good times.

 

[Liar]

Just realized something. This is Big Government, dipping their buerocratic paws into the Free Market, dictating to farmers how to run their businesses, and handing out crocus bulb pork on the taxpayer's dime.

Isn't that, like, Socialism and slavery and stuff?

 

[Zeb_Carter]

And once the Afgan farms get rolling the price will drop at the wholesale level...probably to the opium levels.

 

[Stella_Omega]

And once the Afgan farms get rolling the price will drop at the wholesale level...probably to the opium levels.

There's actually more reason than the money, for these farmers. The guy they interview says that growing poppy is a sin for Muslims, and that the ground is taboo for food crops for three years after this drug crop has been cultivated.

This might be rationalisation, but hey-- whatever works!

 

[DesertPirate]

I'm all for orrering a better cash crop. Wish they would do that for the tobacco farmers around here, most are 5th to 10th generation at it. The really need to learn something different. The market aint what it used to be.

 

[DeeZire]

Saffron? I saw Saffron Burrows naked in a movie, so I'm all over Saffron. Bring on the Saffron! (BTW, she claims to be six feet tall, so I'm even more all over Saffron, and I won't be needing no stinkin' stepladder either.)

Donovan also has a fondness for Saffron, as articulated in his song "Mellow Yellow"

"...I'm just mad about Saffron, she's just mad about me
They call me mellow yellow (quite rightly)..."

 

[R. Richard]

I'm all for orrering a better cash crop. Wish they would do that for the tobacco farmers around here, most are 5th to 10th generation at it. The really need to learn something different. The market aint what it used to be.

The reason that they won't grow anything but tobacco is that the government pays a subsidy. A farmer can actually make a living from one (1) acre of prime tobacco land [info from maybe 10 years ago.] In order to get the subsidy, you have to already be on the subsidy list. Many of the people who are 'tobacco farmers' are people who own a subsidy and they lease the field to an actual farmer.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Saffron? I saw Saffron Burrows naked in a movie, so I'm all over Saffron. Bring on the Saffron! (BTW, she claims to be six feet tall, so I'm even more all over Saffron, and I won't be needing no stinkin' stepladder either.)

Donovan also has a fondness for Saffron, as articulated in his song "Mellow Yellow"

"...I'm just mad about Saffron, she's just mad about me
They call me mellow yellow (quite rightly)..."

Oh, you mean like this?

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/1volupturary_manque/SBurrButtNSFWGo.jpg

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Saffron? I saw Saffron Burrows naked in a movie, so I'm all over Saffron. Bring on the Saffron! (BTW, she claims to be six feet tall, so I'm even more all over Saffron, and I won't be needing no stinkin' stepladder either.)

Donovan also has a fondness for Saffron, as articulated in his song "Mellow Yellow"

"...I'm just mad about Saffron, she's just mad about me
They call me mellow yellow (quite rightly)..."

Was he singing about the drink or was the drink produced after he sang about it?

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Was he singing about the drink or was the drink produced after he sang about it?

song first, drink later.

 

[rgraham666]

Now what are we going to do with the other addicts; the ones who get a real high out of charging around in high technology blowing the shit out of stuff? The ones who love their command centers? The ones who love standing up in legislatures and before cameras, fulminating about 'the enemy'?

Basically, the ones who love war?

 

[DeeZire]

Oh, you mean like this?

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/1volupturary_manque/SBurrButtNSFWGo.jpg

Sheesh! You're a lot better at this interweb contraption than I am. I searched for ten minutes and all I got was the six feet tall line and a bunch of fashion photos.

 

[DeeZire]

Now what are we going to do with the other addicts; the ones who get a real high out of charging around in high technology blowing the shit out of stuff? The ones who love their command centers? The ones who love standing up in legislatures and before cameras, fulminating about 'the enemy'?

Basically, the ones who love war?

As long as Fox News remains on the air, they'll manage to drum up a war somewhere.