Farmers in Afghanistan are complaining about declining water levels and a worsening drought. They stress that water scarcity has caused an unprecedented drop in yields, widespread livestock deaths, and a sharp rise in the prices of food and animal feed, a situation that has pushed rural communities into a livelihood crisis and hunger. At the same time, economic and environmental experts warn that if this trend continues, it could inflict a heavy blow on the national economy, and without immediate global assistance and the scientific management of water resources, the scale of this disaster will only grow.
Some farmers told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that this year’s drought has caused far more damage to their land and livestock compared to previous years.
Naseer, one of the farmers in the Jalrez district of Maidan Wardak province, expressed concern that the severe drought has reduced agricultural output and caused the loss of about 200 head of livestock. He added that water scarcity and the rising cost of food and animal fodder have put severe pressure on their livelihoods.
The farmer added, “We mainly grow wheat and beans. This year, due to the severe drought, our output has fallen from 100 percent to about 70 percent. We have also lost around 200 head of livestock. The price of animal fodder has increased, such that while a unit of fodder was previously around 8,000 Afghanis, it has now reached 8,200 Afghanis. This decline in produce and rise in expenses has placed heavy pressure on families and reduced the purchasing power of farmers and orchard owners.”
Osman Momand, another farmer in Darah Noor district of Nangarhar province, explained that about 80 percent of their farmland in the province has dried, and 95 percent of their crops have been damaged. He stressed that the drying of springs and the shortage of water have deprived 70 percent of the population of access to safe drinking water, pushing them into severe hunger.
Momand added that the shortage of fodder has crippled livestock farming, and many people have been forced to sell their animals to cover expenses. He emphasized: “At present, about 80 percent of people are facing food shortages and hunger. In winter, we have no fodder for the animals because the drought has been severe. We have been forced to borrow money. Personally, I have sold two cows and one goat, and most livestock have been sold to secure feed for the remaining animals. The main problem is the decline of water sources. Wells have dried up, and groundwater levels in the mountains have dropped. I personally had five animals, and I have sold three.”
Meanwhile, economic and environmental experts, warning about the persistence of the drought, are calling for increased international assistance and fundamental measures to manage Afghanistan’s water crisis.
Azarakhsh Hafizi, an economic expert, said that in countries where accurate and modern irrigation systems do not exist and drip irrigation has not been implemented, drought and water scarcity can cause large-scale disasters in the agricultural sector. He added that reduced agricultural production, declining purchasing power of farmers and orchard owners, and overall negative effects on the national economy, especially in a country like Afghanistan that relies heavily on agricultural products and primary goods, are among the consequences of this situation.
Hafizi stated: “When drought occurs, its impact on our country is doubled because there is no proper system for irrigating orchards and farmland. To counter this crisis, fundamental actions must be taken, including storing water in winter, constructing diversion dams, and properly managing water resources.”
Sayed Mohammad Sulaimankhil, an environmental expert, emphasized that Afghanistan loses over 400 billion dollars annually due to drought. He added that climate change is not a phenomenon that can be controlled solely through the basic knowledge of people or farmers. Sulaimankhil stressed that this issue requires international cooperation and financial support so rural communities can be empowered, adapt to the impacts of drought, and reduce the level of damage.
The environmental expert said, “Strategies for addressing drought fall into two categories. The first is international support, through which the global community can assist Afghanistan, financially and technically, in confronting and adapting to climate change. The second includes regional and local strategies through which communities themselves can adapt to drought with community-based methods. For example, distributing drought-resistant improved seeds to farmers, training them in suitable cultivation methods for low-water conditions, and selecting resistant crops.”
This comes as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced that Afghanistan is facing one of the worst droughts in several decades. According to this report, agricultural products have been destroyed this year, livestock have been left without feed, and hundreds of families have been forced to leave their homes in search of water and food.
Previously, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated in two separate reports that Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s worst hunger crises. According to these reports, Afghanistan is among the 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change in the world.
These concerns are being raised as the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), scheduled for 10–21 November 2025 in the city of Belém, Brazil, will bring participants together to discuss measures such as limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius, supporting vulnerable communities in adapting to the impacts of climate change, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
خشکسالی بیرحم افغانستان؛ کشاورزان در آستانه ورشکستهگی و بحران معیشتی بیسابقه
