As water resources continue to decline in Afghanistan, some farmers in Farah province say saffron farming can provide them with a source of income because the crop requires less water. They emphasize that their main needs are creating opportunities for saffron cultivation and improving access to the domestic market for the product.
A number of youth in Kapisa have complained about the accumulation of waste in parks and green spaces across the province, saying that the lack of trash bins and the disregard of some citizens for maintaining cleanliness have caused pollution in these areas.
September 29 is World Heart Day, observed every year to raise awareness about heart disease and the importance of prevention and timely diagnosis. Doctors say women are also exposed to various risk factors for heart disease. Factors including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, genetic factors and some hormonal changes can increase the risk of heart disease.
Herat has lived with the 120-day winds for years. These winds are part of the natural climate of the Sistan region and western Afghanistan, blowing from late spring through summer and into early autumn. But the problem is not the wind itself. When the land dries up, groundwater levels fall and vegetation disappears, dry riverbeds, wetlands and abandoned land are exposed to the wind. The same wind that was once simply a natural climate phenomenon can then lift soil and carry dust.
Psychologists and neurologists say Alzheimer’s disease is a common form of dementia that is more commonly seen in women. They believe that women’s longer life expectancy compared with men, hormonal changes, stress and anxiety may be among the reasons behind this.
In a decree issued in 2024 by Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada, leader of the Islamic Emirate, on “preventing improper customs in society,” article 1, paragraph 6 emphasizes respecting women’s right to dower (mahr). The decree says that setting an excessively high dower is not proper and that dower is a woman’s right, which no one else has the right to take. It also describes excessively high and burdensome dower as one of the undesirable customs related to marriage.
Shilajit is a rare natural substance found in the high-altitude and rugged mountains of Badakhshan. The black substance comes out of rocks and cliffs and, after being collected, cleaned, and processed, is sold in the market. Despite the many difficulties and risks involved in collecting it, many residents of these areas continue to extract and sell it.
A number of women in Siyahgerd district of Parwan say that the launch of a small workshop producing pickles, tomato paste and local dairy products has not only created job opportunities and provided income, but has also increased their self-confidence and given women in the village hope for the future.
A number of youth who travel to other provinces to pursue higher education complain about difficulties with housing and accommodation. In interviews with Salam Watandar, they say that private dormitories are not only expensive but also lack some of the facilities they need. They say these problems have negatively affected their studies.
In the plains and villages of Faryab, Afghanistan, drought is no longer affecting only farmland. Pastures have decreased, fodder has become more expensive, and extreme heat has made life harder for livestock. For families whose food, income and financial security depend on cattle and sheep, the loss or weakening of livestock means more than losing an asset. It can mean less milk and meat, lost income and greater difficulty providing food for their families.
In Baghlan, the «Poza-e Eshan Agricultural Research Farm» has in recent years been working to identify and develop cotton varieties that are more resistant to water shortages, extreme heat and diseases by establishing a cotton collection. At the center, characteristics such as fiber length, boll weight, plant height, growing period and the level of crop production are examined so that seeds better suited to future climate conditions can be identified and made available to farmers.
Islam emphasizes consultation, mutual understanding, respect for each other’s rights and responsibilities, and good treatment in family life. Legal experts and religious scholars say that consultation between husbands and wives on matters related to family life is one of the effective factors in strengthening and improving family relationships.
