Agriculture is the backbone of the struggling Afghanistan economy. Changing weather patterns have significantly impacted the Afghani region, devastating local agriculture and leaving almost 90% of Afghani citizens in extreme poverty without enough food. In early 2022, the United States Agency of International Development (USAID) committed $83 million to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to support specific food security and sustainability programs, supporting the United Nations Mandate to end world hunger. Of the $83 million, $30 million was geared toward saving Afghanistan agriculture by prioritizing food nutrition and security in the region.

Changing Weather Patterns in Afghanistan

In June 2021, Afghanistan officially declared a national drought. Over 50% of water points across all Afghanistan provinces have dried up, leaving 80% suffering extreme to severe drought conditions. In addition, 30 out of 34 provinces in Afghanistan report extremely poor water quality. The proportion of households feeling the impact of drought in 2022 is six times greater than in 2020. These changing weather patterns are the worst the country has seen in over three decades and have devastated local agriculture. The United Nations has reported that 9 out of 10 Afghani citizens do not have enough food to eat. 

Foreign Aid Saving Afghanistan’s Agriculture

Back-to-back droughts and economic crises have taken their toll on Afghanistan. Still, recent foreign aid funding is laying the foundation for a brighter tomorrow by attempting to save Afghanistan’s agriculture. Since 2002, the FAO has had boots on the ground rebuilding the irrigation infrastructure, creating new dairy and wheat seed industries, assisting in crop diversification, introducing high-yield crops and improving livestock production. 

When the drought in Afghanistan began to cripple the existing agricultural systems in 2021, the FAO’s Drought Response Plan started focusing on the winter wheat season. The region relies heavily on winter wheat; over half of an Afghani’s daily caloric intake comes from wheat. The 2021 winter wheat crop was 20% below the 2020 pre-drought harvest. Since local government seed distribution systems were greatly disrupted by the recent droughts and associated economic crises, FAO funding and assistance are more critical than ever.

The FAO’s standard wheat cultivation package consists of high-quality seeds, fertilizers and training. Foreign funds enable the FAO to distribute these wheat cultivation packages across areas of need in Afghanistan so that each package can support the cereal needs of an average household for an entire year. Thanks to foreign aid funds and coordinated efforts by the FAO Drought Response Plan, Afghanistan’s important cereal requirements – wheat and flour – are projected to be about 28% higher than last year’s yield. “This next winter wheat season is a tipping point. If we miss it, disaster looms,” said Richard Trenchard, FAO’s Representative in Afghanistan.

While the drought has been particularly difficult for farms in the region, livestock owners also need assistance. Over 3 million livestock animals were at risk during the escalating drought, putting critical protein sources for the region at risk. The projected increase in winter wheat yields will help livestock owners, providing critical feed for these animals.

 “FAO and its partners are already supporting millions of rural people. But far more needs to be done,” Trenchard said.

– Ann-Jinette Hess
Photo: Flickr