Richard in Afghanistan Part 4

12th August 2009
Early start to Charicar arera and a meeting to meet one of the most active lead farmers Mr. Farhim at Demulla Village. He lives with his five brothers and their families. They make 90% of their farm income from grape or raisin. He is very interested to hear again about the fair trade minimum price. This is one of the mainstays of the FT system, it is a calculation of the costs of production so that the producer can rely on an income from their efforts. If market prices are higher than the minimum that's fine but the farm gate price can never be lower than the minimum.
Unfortunately we still have no definite purchase order so I have only the assurance that they will know volumes within 7 days. They have to make a fast decision about whether to sell table grapes to merchants who have already approached them.

On to the factory where we meet the engineer who's company is doing the factory renovation. We discuss my adaptions, he's a very bright guy and he picks up the idea of people and product flow and segregation of wet and dry processing immediately. Apparently he's in much demand he's got 8 police stations on the go at the moment. The Taliban arrested him and his French business partner last year and suggested building things for the government is not something he should bother with. His business partner agreed with them and left the country. John also runs off when we get round to the main store room but does see the logic that the roof also needs to be replaced. Spending American taxpayers money is something which I would like to do more of. A bit more reconstruction after funding the biggest covert war in history and flooding Afghanistan with weapons to fight the Soviet Union and the conditions which allowed the rise of the Taliban may have been avoided.

Back to Kabul and meeting with ACAP managers of a giant USAID funded venture capital fund. A bit out of our league.

After a series of calls we find the Roots of Peace compound and meet up with Zach and Gary. I worked for RoP for two weeks in 2007 in Badakshan which is the most Northern Province in the country. I really admire the work they do, attention to detail and long term goals. They also do project work but in the background has always been the idea of helping to build a proper almond industry association in Afghanistan. They have analysed and worked on all aspects of the almond supply chain from nurseries to processing, taken best practice and looked at what can be implemented in Afghanistan. Its great to talk to Zach again I like his company and he offered me a job once, the two of them have masses of experience, information and contacts which they are very generous with. By the time we get back its 20:00. Finish email after midnight.

13th August 2009
Another good night of sleep, fantastic. I call John at 7.30 but his phone is off so get on with some e-mail, apparently one of the phone networks is down. Off to the Mercy Corps offices for a meeting to agree priorities for the next few critical weeks of the renovation and farm raisin production then back to the Kabul Inn to pack. Somehow despite only having an additional couple of KG's of raisins in my bag nothing fits. The bag has shrunk or my cold weather clothes have swelled in the heat (I have winter boots two fleeces and a water proof jacket for 3 days trekking at the end of the trip.) There is knock at the door and I am requested to go to reception. One of the GDA staff tells me I am now booked on a PIA flight to Islamabad and now have to get to the airport for 12. Instead of having lunch with John and Humayoon we collect John and whiz off to the airport. A few checks outside the terminals and we arrive at the distant car park. Apparently we are too early the PIA check in is not open so we must wait in the sun (and a poilce man makes us go back and stand behind some razor wire) when we are allowed to the terminal it is revealed I have a standby ticket. Have to sit on my bag and wait 90 mins until after 14.00 (the departure time). I was Interested to note that some people were allowed to arrive a full two hours late for the flight before PIA would consider telling them to f*** right off and turn up on time next time you b******s. The flight is 1 hour delayed its past 14.00 and the PIA staff are studiously avoiding eye contact. The UNHCR flight to Islamabad check in is next door. I couldn't get a confirmation yesterday hence the PIA ticket. I better check if the UN flight is full. No and I am on the reserve list, great. In the meantime PIA have processed my bag and ticket. Who cares I'm flying. Make way to waiting room and hear the UN flight being called. Oh that's a shame could have been on that one. I make enquiries when is the PIA flight leaving? The place is still in Islamabad is the chirpy reply. What a beastly bore I mutter to myself and take a seat in the departure lounge. We take off 4 hours late. Proof reading some snack bar wrappers for the contract manufacture part of our business and having a nice chat with a really bright and interesting 14 year old Manc/Afghan pass the time pleasantly. The only down side is that Toblerone is in my field of view. Toblerone is my least favourite confectionary product never the less I like to take photographs of airport toblerone displays and send them to an American I once met who was surprised at my vehemence. I never thought that Toblerone would reach Kabul but there it is in the shiny new duty free goods shop in the shiny new terminal. ****ing Toblerone. I bet Mullah Omah hated Toblerone if so that's one thing I'm absolutely 100% with him on. It's totally unacceptable.

Whiz through Islamabad airport arrivals in five minutes, unprecedented. The baggage carrousel starts before I get to it, amazing. Lovely Hunza Embassy Lodge have arranged a taxi to collect me and Sher Ghazi our partner in Gilgit has arranged for me to collect a ticket for the morning flight at the airport. My flight and reservation is confirmed (I think). There is high speed internet and air conditioning in the room brilliant, its much hotter and more humid than Kabul it must be 60% humidity and 35 degrees outside.
Nice pot of Pakistani tea (made with milk) and a bit of work while the room cools down. Getting comfy and thinking about the 05.30 wake up call when the city power goes off, and the generator can not run the AC. Oh dear my room is now a sauna.

We work out I need a 05.30 alarm call to catch the 08.00 flight to Gilgit but it's very late before the power comes back and I get to sleep.

14th August 2009
Ring ring
Yes
Alarm call sir.
I look at my phone - it's 4.30. Go to find night attendant.
Its 4.30
No sir 5.30
Back to room check phone setting for Pakistan time. I check computer at the top of stairs. Its definitely 4.30 I find the night attendant. Its 4.30. No sir 5.30. Its 4.30. No sir 5.30
No its 4.30
No sir. New time sir.
What?
New time sir.
New time?
Yes sir new time sir.
Apparently 6 months ago the new government decided to change from GMT + 5 to GMT +6. Grrrrrrrrrrr.
The flight to Gilgit is always touch and go, visibility is required as some of the mountains in the north are higher than the cruising altitude of the plane. It regularly turns back after take off and is even more regularly cancelled. The alternative is a road trip of at least 15 hours, this year its 21 hours as the Karakorum Highway is being improved by Chinese contractors and road works litter the northern section. August is usually a good month to fly and there has been a two week unbroken spell of good weather this year. I am on the East side flying north so miss watching the morning sun on Nanga Parbat (2nd highest mountain in Pakistan after K2). But great views to the Hindu Kush and Parmirs.
Sher meets me off the plane and we head off to the office via my hotel.
Given the economic situation we agree that the modest Riviera is more appropriate than the Serena. It's clean and cool and a quarter of the price.

Good general catch up session with Sher, Jamilla and Shaeena. We set a visit agenda and discuss new developments for Mountain Fruits and Fullwell Mill.
Its great to be back here. We finish at 13.00 back to the hotel and sleep for 4 hours....