Nangahar: A Case Study

The USAID Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East and West Program (IDEA-NEW) was built on the efforts of the Alternative Livelihoods Program North (ADP-N) and, Alternative Development Program - East (ADP-E).

Both of these programs were designed to dissuade farmers from growing opium poppy by increasing access to licit, commercially viable alternative sources of income.

Running from March 2009 to March 2014 IDEA- NEW is a US$ 159.88 million rural development program that 'works to increase agricultural production, rural enterprise, and related infrastructural development, access to financial services, and overall value-chain development and integration for key regional industries'.

This evaluation stems from an audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of USAID which in the June of 2012, reported that IDEA-NEW 'was unable to provide evidence of the programs contribution [to reducing poppy]'