Thailand to help Afghan farmers

Bangkok, Feb 23 (UNI) Thailand has offered expertise to Afghanistan in illicit crop substitution to enable the country's opium farmers to switch to alternative livelihoods.

Thai Foreign Affairs Minister offered the assistance during the talks on bilateral cooperation with Afghan Deputy Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Ehsan Zia, who is here for an international meeting to develop sustainable alternative livelihoods in Afghanistan.

The two ministers also discussed the situation in Afghanistan with Thailand offering help to Afghanistan in development.

Meanwhile, Thailand, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Belgium and several international organisations will take part in the International panel for Afghanistan on Sustainable Alternative Livelihoods Development, to be held in the northern Thai border province of Chiang Rai on February 26.

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