GHAZNI CITY (SW) – Farmers in Ghazni say that the use of traditional tree spraying methods has led to the ineffectiveness of pesticides against plant diseases.
Mirwais, an orchard owner from Khwaja Omari district in Ghazni, says he is not familiar with standardized methods of spraying trees. He adds, “Sometimes insects attack the trees, leading to pest outbreaks. We use old methods, spraying the trees with water mixtures or applying pesticides with a pump, but it’s not effective.”
Farmers urge the Ghazni Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock to provide them with training on standardized spraying techniques.
Another farmer, Wahidullah, shares similar concerns: “Our orchards have been infested with pests. We have not received any guidance from the agriculture department about proper spraying methods or how to combat plant diseases. Our request is for training on this issue.”
Mohammad Zakaria Hotak, the Director of Plant Protection at the agriculture department, says they have launched a program to help farmers use “urea spray” for tree treatment. “The urea spray program, which is very effective, will be implemented. Farmers should apply it when plants are in a resting phase, and eighty percent of the leaves have fallen.”
Some agricultural experts say that urea spray is an effective pesticide that can help eliminate plant diseases and pests.
Saleh Mohammad, an agricultural expert, states, “Tree spraying must be done according to proper standards. With urea spray, winter oil spray, and lime sulfur, trees can be protected, but farmers have limited knowledge in this area. Often, they use strong chemical pesticides to control pests, which can be harmful.”
In Afghanistan, farming continues in its traditional form, which has resulted in farmers struggling to achieve satisfactory yields from their orchards and fields.
