Founded as a post-9/11 response to help rebuild Afghanistan, the Global Partnership for Afghanistan (GPFA)made a promise to the CGI two years ago that it would enable family farmers toincrease their livelihoods by planting 1 million fruit and poplar trees.At last week's CGI conference, GPFA reported that it had dramaticallysurpassed that commitment by helping 9,200 male and female farmers developtree enterprises and plant 2.5 million trees in 300 villages. Within thenext two years, said Dana Freyer, a Founder and Chair of GPFA, a total of 4million trees will be in the ground as the program is extended to anadditional 2,000 orchard and forestry enterprise farmers.

GPFA provides in-kind loans of trees, supplies, training and technology fortree businesses. Each enterprise is projected to support a family of sevenand generate more income than that family could earn by cultivatingpoppies. GPFA's model also supports reforestation.

GPFA will reporton its program results at its annual benefit on Monday, October 6. Theguest speaker will be New York Times columnist, Nicholas D. Kristof, whowill discuss the topic, "Building Livelihoods in the Wake of Conflict."Mr. Kristof's Pulitzer Prize-winning columns have focused on the globalpoverty, health, climate change and gender issues that affect Afghanistanand other countries. The benefit dinner will be from 6-9 pm at the CondeNast Building, Four Times Square, New York City. (www.gpfa.org or212-735-2080 for reservations.)

At the event, GPFA will show how, in acountry with per capita GDP of less than $1 a day, rural farmers areearning 5-10 times that amount in annual income from fruit tree nurseries,orchards, vineyards and poplar woodlots. "Afghan farmers represent a largeand critical segment of the country's economy," said Dana Freyer. "Yetlittle aid has trickled down to the tree-based industries that provideeconomic security and restore the environment in rural areas."

Selected for the second time to be part of the Clinton Global Initiative's "Poverty Alleviation" initiatives,GPFA will build on its successful farm enterprise programs by creating anAfghan-run center of excellence in farm forestry, horticulture andentrepreneurship. The center will help train growing numbers of farmers inbest technical and management practices. It will also support thedevelopment of quality planting stock, producer associations, fruit coldstorage, low-cost irrigation, market and credit access as well as encourageand support young Afghan professionals, particularly women, involved infarm forestry and horticultural enterprise promotion.

Global Partnership for Afghanistan is a New York 501(c)(3) nonprofitorganization and NGO registered in Afghanistan. It began itscommunity-based, environmental and economic development programs in 2004 toassist Afghan farmers revive and rehabilitate their fruit and nut orchards,vineyards, woodlots, croplands and forests with the goal of generatingfood, jobs, income, and environmental and health benefits. GlobalPartnership for Afghanistan has offices in New York City and Kabul and isworking in Kabul, Logar, Paktya, Wardak, Panjshir, Parwan, Kapisa, Balkh,Kunduz and Samangan Provinces.

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Contacts:Roger HardisterExecutive DirectorGlobal Partnership for Afghanistan212-735-2080Email ContactP.O. Box 1237New York, NY 10276-1237www.gpfa.org