Balkh agriculture sector suffers due to climate change

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Climate change has affected the agriculture sector of northern Balkh province and has reduced crops’ yield, farmers said on Monday.

A farmer from Dehdadi district Khwaja Habibullah, who has been associated with farming since 40 years, said he had never seen such a serious drought in his life.
The agriculture sector sustained financial losses due to the drought, with farmers bearing the brunt of the situation, he said.

Abdul Sami, another farmer, said the yield of crops had dropped significantly due to lack of rains and snowfall and as a result, the farmers suffered a lot.

“If it does not rain or snow that protects crops from pests, most of the crops will dry up,” he said.

Gull Mohammad, another farmer, also expressed his concern about the lack of rain and snow this year as well.

He said: “Farmers are worried that the rain-fed crops will not grow, the available water cannot irrigate our fields, God knows what will happen.”

Provincial officials admit drought-related problems. Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation department head Mohammad Hussain Azimi told Pajhwok Afghan News the mercury was high this year compared to the previous years.

Azimi said: “It rained around 200 millimeters and 500mm annually in the past, unfortunately it rained only 8mm this year.”

In addition to Balkh province, Kabul and other provinces also received less rain this year.