Amid the growing vulnerability of Afghanistan’s agricultural sector to climate change, several farmers in Jowzjan province report that persistent droughts, lack of water resources, and the spread of plant pests have led to a significant decrease in their crop yields.
Makhi, a farmer in Jowzjan, says that consecutive droughts have reduced his harvests. He explains that in the past, he could harvest 210 kilograms (30 seers; local unit of measurement) of wheat only from 7 kgs (one seer) of seeds, but now that number has dropped to just 56 kgs (8 seers). “We are experiencing the effects of drought very seriously; we farmers and orchard owners are suffering because of this issue. The plants are dying from the roots due to the lack of rain, and we’ve never experienced such severe droughts before.”
According to Makhi, plant pests and diseases have also contributed to the decrease in crop yields.
Another farmer, Yosuf, from the Khwaja Du-koh district of Jowzjan, says that due to plant pests and diseases, he has not been able to achieve satisfactory harvests in recent years. “For the past five years, we have not been able to get a good harvest. We don’t have medicine to eliminate plant pests, and because of this, we suffer losses every year. On top of this, there are also the effects of climate change.”
These farmers call on the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock in Jowzjan, as well as the de-facto government authorities, to collaborate with them in combating plant pests.
Abdul Qader Wahdat, the head of directorate, says that there are long-term programs in place to address the issues facing farmers in the province. “Jowzjan has a large agricultural area but lacks sufficient water. The province’s water resources depend on neighboring provinces. If a drought occurs, many people in Jowzjan will suffer.”
Abdul Rashid, an agricultural expert, adds that due to climate change, the groundwater level in Jowzjan has decreased, causing major losses for many farmers.
“Whenever rainfall does not exceed 50 millimeters, harvests will decline. If the rainfall is less than this amount, farmers cannot harvest good crops from their lands,” he said.
Jowzjan, located in northern Afghanistan, is one of the provinces where most of the population is engaged in agriculture, depending on it to meet both their food and non-food needs.
