Taliban’s Agriculture Directorate in northeastern Kunduz province estimates that irrigated, not rainfed, wheat cultivation in the province is expected to increase up to five percent compared to the previous year, a slightly positive sign for farmers amid growing climate instability.
158,000 hectares of land is dedicated to irrigated wheat cultivation this year, expecting 553,000 tons of wheat harvest. This suggests a two to five percent growth from last year, Salahuddin Wahedi, manager of the Agriculture Directorate in Kunduz said.
Wahedi highlighted that the previous year witnessed 154,903 hectares of land being cultivated with irrigated wheat, yielding 542,161 tons.
In contrast, rainfed wheat cultivation, covering 39,313 hectares of land in Kunduz this year, is expected to produce approximately 27,519 tons, which indicates a lesser yield. 2022, Wahedi noted, fared about the same.
The reason for this adverse effect, the manager of the Agriculture Directorate acknowledged, is insufficient rainfall since last year.
However, local farmers attributed the dramatic decline in rainfed wheat not only to drought but also the lack of improved seeds, saying that the provision of genetically modified seeds during the growing season in 2022 was inadequate.
Amrullah, a farmer in Kunduz, said that this year’s wheat yield surpasses the previous year. However, the farmer alluded that it would have been significantly higher if enough modified seeds were within reach.
Another farmer, Mullajan, emphasized a favorable wheat harvest this year but expressed concerns about the high cost of fertilizers, which makes it financially challenging for farmers to acquire them.
“Price stability in wheat and other essential food items is crucial. If there’s a decline in wheat prices, we desire a corresponding decrease in the prices of other essential food commodities as well.” Mullajan noted further.
Kunduz is one of the most agriculturally fertile provinces in the northeast of the country, also known as the “Silo of Afghanistan”. The province plays a vital role in the principal supply of wheat, both irrigated and rainfed, and rice to other provinces in the country. However, drought and heat, probably linked to climate change, could pose recurrent challenges for agriculture and food security in the province in the medium to longer term.
