A Territorial Army (TA) officer from Wiltshire has taken his farming skills to Afghanistan to help rid the country of illegally-grown opium.

As a civilian Captain Michael Whitehead farms cereal crops in Wiltshire. In uniform he is a member of the provincial Counter Narcotics Team in Helmand, Afghanistan. Engaged in 'combat farming', he helps provide an alternative to poppy farmers.

"It may be strange to think of soldiers fighting the insurgency using wheat and fruit saplings. But that's exactly what we're doing here in Helmand, the province which produces 57% of Afghanistan's opium," explains Captain Whitehead.

The opium trade is nothing new, but it has increased over the last few years and is a prime source of funding for insurgents.

Captain Whitehead says "Generally speaking, in areas where there is greater insecurity, more illegal activities flourish. In turn, the narcotics trade undermines legitimate governance, creating a culture of fear. It's a vicious cycle that we need to break."

Last year's Counter Narcotics strategy reached out to approximately 32,000 farmers and helped achieve a 33% reduction in poppy cultivation by encouraging them to grow legal agricultural crops, like wheat.

This year's strategy, known locally as the Food Zone programme, aims to reduce opium even further. The programme has four key areas - a public information campaign, the distribution of legal crops - like wheat - to farmers, increased law enforcement (including eradication of poppy in some areas), and reducing the demand for opium by rehabilitating some of the estimated 70,000 drug addicts in Helmand.

Captain Whitehead continues "This year we have distributed winter wheat, fertiliser and pesticide to 39,640 farmers in eight districts across the province. In real terms this equates to almost 16,000 tons of material which took 790 vehicle moves - no mean feat. There have been difficulties but the bottom line is that the wheat is now out there in the hands of farmers. The buzz this has given people is quite palpable - it's a really great achievement."

"By making poppy a less attractive cash crop than maize or wheat, Helmand can once again become a great food-producing area. The opportunities are considerable and whatever positive contribution I can make to the lot of the average Helmandi farmer, I consider that to be a tremendous privilege," added Capt Whitehead.

Commissioned into the Royal Wessex Yeomanry this is, of course, not the usual employment for an Officer trained to fight in armoured vehicles. However, it's an example of how reservists contribute both their professional and military skills to benefit the campaign effort.