The agricultural sector
47
Table 5.6 Afghanistan food balance sheet 2009 in thousand tons
Crop Requirements
Domestic production
Surplus deficit
Food Seed
Feed Loss
Total All wheat, of which
4,175 319
761 5,255
5,064 -191
Irrigated wheat 201
-- 508
3,387 Rain-fed wheat
118 --
253 1,677
Milled rice 444
21 33
498 469
-29 Maize
52 8
195 45
300 300
-- Barley
26 29
353 72
480 480
--
Total 4,697
377 548
911 6,533
6,313 -220
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock 2009
Other cultivated grains include barley, maize, rice and pulses. Full series of agriculture production are provided by the Central Statistics Organisation CSO 2008. A condensed overview is presented in
Table 5.7. There are also several types of summer and winter vegetables and fruits, like potatoes, onions, tomatoes, okra, cauliflower, melons, water
melons, apricots, pomegranates, apples and grapes. Afghan grapes and watermelons are highly appreciated in other countries. Other significant agriculture exports although in decline are dried fruits and nuts mainly raisins pistachio,
almonds and apricots.
Table 5.7 Afghanistan, cereal production 2002-2009 in thousand tons
Crop 2002
2003 2004
2005 2006
2007 2008
2009 All wheat, of which
2,686 4,362
2,293 4,266
3,363 4,343
2,623 5,064
Irrigated wheat 2,110
3,017 1,867
2,728 2,604
2,878 2,406
3,387 Rain-fed wheat
576 1,345
426 1,538
759 1,465
217 1,677
Milled rice 260
291 310
325 361
425 410
469 Maize
298 310
234 315
359 360
280 300
Barley 345
410 220
337 364
370 333
480
Total 3,589
5,373 3,057
5,243 4,447
5,498 3,646
6,313
Source: FAOWFP CFSAM 2002-2004, MAIL 2005-2009
In the NRVA 20078 survey, the households were asked to identify and to rate the crops most frequently grown on their irrigated land in summer. Overall, the households responded that the most important crops were wheat, opium and
potatoes Table 5.8, panel a. The crops that were mentioned as second most important crops were afalfa, barley and
wheat. Those mentioned as the third most important crops were alfalfa, potatoes and other vegetables. This overall crop portfolio contributes to food security, forage for livestock production, and cash for the Afghan households. The most
important crops in the winter season are maizesorghum, rice and cotton panel b. Overall 59 percent of households engaged in agriculture are cultivating winter wheat and only 7 percent grow rice across the country. On rain-fed land by
far the most popular harvested crop was wheat 94 percent; panel c.
5.3.2 Opium production
The relative importance of opium production on irrigated land in summertime warrants special attention. Afghanistan was the largest opium producer in the world up to late 1990s, producing up to 70 percent of illicit opium or its derivate
heroin. Southern and eastern parts of the country were the main areas of production. The Taliban ban on opium spread the opium cultivation to northern parts of the country.
The agricultural sector
48
Table 5.8 Households producing crops on a irrigated land in summer, b irrigated land in winter c rain-fed land, and d garden plots, by importance of crop, and by three most frequently mentioned crops percentage mentioned between brackets
Frequency of mentioning
Importance of crops First most important crop
Second most important crop Third most important crop
a. Irrigated land in summer
Most Wheat 77
Alfalfacloverother fodder 24 Alfalfacloverother fodder 38
Second most Opium 12
Barley 17 Potatoes 12
Third most Potatoes 3
Wheat 17 Other vegetables 8
b. Irrigated land in winter
Most Maize sorghum 53
Maize sorghum 19 Other vegs 34
Second most Rice 15
Melon watermelon 11 Alfalfacloverother fodder 16
Third most Other 10
Cotton 11 Melon watermelon 12
c. Rain-fed land
Most Wheat 94
Barley 71 Flax 29
Second most Cotton 1
Maize sorghum 9 Melon watermelon 26
Third most Barley 1
Melon watermelon 6 Other 19
d. Garden plots
Most Fruit nut trees 39
Other fruits 25 Other fruits 29
Second most Grapes 33
Fruit nut trees 18 Other 14
Third most Other 15
Other 17 Other vegetables 12
The current NRVA 20078 shows opium production in 13 out of 34 provinces of Afghanistansee Figure 5.5, with six provinces reporting substantial proportions of households engaged in opium production, predominantly on irrigated land. Poppy cultivation
or opium production is reported by 6 percent of all households. Of households engaged in agriculture, 10 percent reported opium production, while 12 percent of those using irrigated land in summer reported opium as first important crop see Table
5.8, panel a. This figure implies a significant increase from the corresponding 3 percent reported in the NRVA 2005. Since poppy cultivation is illegal, it can be expected that these figures represent a significant under-estimation.
Provinces with the highest percentages of households reporting being involved in opium production are Urozgan and Helmand, with 82 percent and 67 percent, respectively see Figure 5.5. When limiting the analysis to the 55 percent of
households engaged in agriculture, the figures further increase – for instance, the proportions for Urozgan and Helmand rise to, respectively, 90 and 82 percent.
5.3.2 Livestock
Some 2.3 million out of 3.4 million Afghan households 68 percent have any kind of livestock, which indicates the importance of this sector within agriculture. In comparison, the NRVA 2005 reported that 64 percent of households owned livestock of
any type. As expected, ownership of livestock is predominant among the Kuchi population – 94 percent of households own any type of livestock – but also among sedentary rural households the large majority 79 percent raises any type of animals
see Table 5.9. Even among urban households a considerable minority 18 percent does so. The average number of animals per household nationwide is 12, but for households who own any livestock the figure is 18.
Of those households who do own any livestock, almost all rural and Kuchi households and nearly half of the urban households have any type of major livestock cattle, oxen, horses, donkeys, camels, goats or sheep. Kuchi households
have by far the largest herds; on average they own 63 animals, whereas the average number of major livestock for rural households is 9 data not shown here. Nationally, the average number of major livestock per household with any
livestock is 13, which suggests an overall number of some 30 million animals in Afghanistan. Ownership of poultry of any kind is most widespread among the urban and rural households.
