USDA-FAS Sending Ag Experts To Afghanistan

The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) announced that S. Rodrick McSherry, from New Mexico, has been assigned the top agriculture position in Afghanistan. McSherry will begin his assignment as agricultural minister counselor to Afghanistan this month. McSherry is one of 50 agricultural experts deploying to Afghanistan through early 2010, by which time FAS expects the total number of ag experts in Afghanistan to be 64.

“USDA is committed to assisting the United States’ mission in Afghanistan, and McSherry’s work there will be of critical importance in building Afghanistan’s agricultural system,” said FAS Administrator Michael Michener. “His extensive knowledge and solid leadership experience from his previous positions abroad will serve him well in his new role.”

In 2003, three USDA employees were among the first civilians to bring technical expertise as ag experts, serving on Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan. PRTs are composed of military personnel and civilians from such agencies as the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and USDA.

Since 2003, USDA has deployed 61 people for various assignments in Afghanistan and provided roughly $229 million in food aid to the country. Ag experts work instructively with Afghans through a variety of activities meant to strengthen the capacity of the Afghan government, rebuild agricultural markets, and improve management of natural resources.