Ghazni is one of the key agricultural provinces in the central part of Afghanistan, where a large proportion of residents across its eighteen districts are engaged in farming and livestock rearing to cover their living expenses.
However, in recent years, declining rainfall and decreasing water resources have made agriculture and livestock rearing in several districts highly vulnerable, forcing hundreds of families to leave their villages and turn to non-agricultural occupations.
Mohammad Rahim, a resident of Andar district, said in an interview with Salam Watandar that water shortages had turned their farmland and orchards into barren, unusable land.
“We own nearly ten jeribs of land in Andar district. Unfortunately, due to the lack of water, we cannot use it. The qanats have completely dried up, and water has become very scarce. That’s why we moved to the city and are now working in Ghazni city to meet our living expenses,” he said.
Mohammad Jafar, a resident of Deh Yak district, also said, “There used to be trees and orchards, but almost all of them have dried up. The qanats are dry, and the water level has fallen so much that even machines or solar-energy can no longer extract water. People had no choice but to leave. We, too, left Deh Yak and moved to the provincial center, where we are now engaged in other occupations, such as driving and shopkeeping.”
Meanwhile, consecutive droughts and internal displacement have also seriously affected women engaged in livestock farming. A number of women who previously earned a stable income from dairy production are now facing unemployment and economic hardship in Ghazni city.
Khadija, one of the affected women, said, “There are no jobs here in the city either. Life is extremely difficult for people who lack skills or stable employment. The government should pay attention to people’s situation, especially those who have been displaced from rural areas.”
Environmental experts, meanwhile, emphasize the need to create conditions for internally displaced people, and identify water-resource management, the rehabilitation of dams, and the distribution of drought-resistant seeds as essential measures.
Ali Samadi, an environmental expert, said regarding this,
“Living conditions should be provided for rural residents in their villages through the digging of wells, the construction of water dams, and the distribution of resistant seeds. These measures could facilitate the return of farmers to their villages while also reducing pressure on urban areas.”
According to statistics from the Ghazni Directorate of Refugees and Repatriation, more than 250 families were displaced from various districts of the province during the 1404 solar year due to drought and climate change.
Abdul Hadi Monib, General Director of Internal Displacement Affairs, said,
“In the 1404 solar year, 250 cases of displacement were registered in our database. These families came from the districts of Nawah, Muqur, Ab Band, Jaghori, Andar, Wali Mohammad Shahid, Deh Yak, Rashidan, Qarabagh, Giro, Gelan, Malistan, and Waghaz. The main causes of displacement were drought, climate change, and poverty. Assistance provided to these families included cash-for-work, food-for-work, and rental assistance.”
Ezzatullah Saeedi, spokesperson for the Ghazni governor, emphasized the importance of the continuation of support for displaced people and said that introducing drought-resistant alternative crops could help facilitate the return of farmers.
“Drought has been a major challenge in recent years. Efforts are underway to introduce alternative crops. This measure is expected to reduce the problems faced by districts’ residents and pave the ground for their return to their regions,” he added.
Afghanistan contributes only a small share to climate change, but it is among the countries most vulnerable to this phenomenon.
According to experts, the management of natural resources and targeted support from national and international institutions can help mitigate the impacts of this problem. Otherwise, internal displacement and increasing pressure on urban centers are likely to continue rising.
Reporter: Turyalai Tabesh
