Poppy substitute comes up roses

Project brings smell of success for former opium farmers

JALALABAD, Afghanistan - Standing in a field of roses in eastern Afghanistan, former poppy grower Mohammad Din Sapai quickly but carefully plucks the delicate petals that will be turned into rose water and oils for sale around the world.

The sweet-smelling crop is providing farmers in Nangarhar province with a viable alternative to growing opium poppies, the sale of which has fueled the conflict raging across the country.