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Table 5.3 Sources of irrigation in summer and winter in percentages
Season River,
canal, dam Deep-well
pump Spring
Kariz Nawara
Absialab, snow melt,
flood Other
Total Summer
67 6
8 13
4 2
1 100
Winter 75
3 5
11 1
3 1
100
Nimroz, Farah, Paktika, Kabul and Ghazni are the main users of deep irrigation between 16 and 47 percent of households, while there was no use reported in Badakshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Bamyan, Daykundi, Kunarha, Kunduz,
Laghman, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-E-Pul, Takhar and Urozgan. Using a spring as irrigation source is reportedly highest in Panjsher, Samangan and Urozgan all more than 30 percent, while no use of springs have been reported in Sar-E-Pul,
Nooristan, Jawzjan, Kandahar and Nimroz. Kariz usage was highest in Zabul, Kandahar, Paktika and Ghazni provinces 40 percent or more. Provinces of Sar-E-Pul, Nooristan, Jawzjan, Kunduz, Badakshan, Balkh, Baghlan, Takhar, Faryab,
Parwan, Bamyan, Kapisa, Samangan and Panjsher reported no use of Kariz as irrigation source at all.
5.2.2 Rain-fed land
Overall 17 percent of households across the country reported that they have access to rain-fed land Table 5.4. The highest access to rain-fed land is among rural households 22 percent, but only few Kuchi and urban households have
access to this type of land 8 and 2 percent, respectively. Among those who are engaged in agriculture, 32 percent have access to rain-fed land. Within this group, Kuchis have the highest rate of access 41 percent, followed by rural
households 32 percent and urban households 19 percent.
Table 5.4 Households, by residence, and by access to rain-fed land, size of owned land in percentages
Access to land, land size Residence
Urban Rural
Kuchi National
No rain-fed land 98
78 92
83 With any rain-fed land, of whom
2 22
8 17
Less than 2.0 jerib 4
6 2
6 2.0-3.9 jerib
14 20
10 19
4.0-5.9 jerib 11
16 18
16 6.0-9.9 jerib
6 14
22 14
10-19.9 jerib 22
25 21
25 20 or more jerib
42 20
26 21
Total with rain-fed land 100
100 100
100
Total 100
100 100
100
Mean statistics Mean land size, all households
0.7 2.9
1.2 2.4
Median land size, all households 0.0
0.0 0.0
0.0 Mean land size, households owning rain-fed land
37.9 13.4
15.1 14.0
Median land size, households owning rain-fed land 10.0
8.0 8.0
8.0
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The access to rain-fed land differs from that of irrigated land in the sense that land size is generally larger see Table 5.4. Of all households with rain-fed land, only very few 6 percent own less than 2 Jerib land, while one fifth 21 percent
have 20 Jerbib or more. Close to half of all households owning rain-fed land have access to 10 Jerib or more. For urban household the typical rain-fed land access is 20 Jerib or more.
Average rain-fed land size of all households across the country is 2.4 Jerib, with the highest figure found for rural households 2.9 Jerib and lowest for urban households 0.7 Jerib. Average rain-fed land size among those with rainfed
land is 14 Jerib, with the largest land size reported for urban households around 38 Jerib and the smallest around 13 Jerib for rural households, with the Kuchi figure in between. Of all households engaged in agriculture the highest rate of
access to rain-fed land exists in Badghis 100 percent, Ghor 88 percent, Samangan 81 percent, while no access is reported in Urozgan and Nimroz provinces and very little in Nooristan, Farah and Wardak 1 percent.
Figure 5.3 shows access to rain-fed land by residence and comparison between NRVA 20078 and NRVA 2005. The figure indicates that only for Kuchi households the share that had access to rain-fed land has increased.
Figure 5.3 Households engaged in agriculture who own or manage rain-fed land, by NRVA assessment, and by residence in percentages
5.2.3 Garden plots
Garden plots play an important role in household income and nutrition, at least in those parts of the year when either fruits are produced or when vegetables are produced. Self-grown fruits and vegetables are sources of vitamins and minerals,
especially in remote areas with limited access to the market. Garden plot ownership is reported by 11 percent of households across the country. Rural households reported the highest access 13 percent, followed by Kuchi and urban households 3
percent each see Table 5.5. Two thirds of all households owning garden plots have less than 2 Jerib.
Twenty percent of households engaged in agriculture own or manage garden plots. Figure 5.4 shows the comparison of NRVA 20078 and NRVA 2005.
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46
Table 5.5 Households, by residence, and by ownership of garden plot, size of garden plot in percentages
Access to garden plot, size of garden plot Residence
Urban Rural
Kuchi National
No garden plot 97
87 97
89 With any garden plot, of whom
3 13
3 11
Less than 1.0 jerib 24
33 58
33 1.0-1.9 jerib
25 34
25 33
2.0-3.9 jerib 24
20 12
21 4.0-5.9 jerib
12 6
5 6
6.0-9.9 jerib 10
5 5
10.0 or more jerib 4
3 3
Total with garden plots 100
100 100
100
Total 100
100 100
100
Mean statistics Mean land size, all households
0.1 0.3
0.0 0.2
Median land size, all households 0.0
0.0 0.0
0.0 Mean land size, households owning garden plots
3.5 1.9
1.0 2.0
Median land size, households owning garden plots 2.0
1.0 0.5
1.0
Figure 5.4 Households engaged in agriculture who own or manage garden plots, by NRVA assessment, and by residence in percentages
5.3 Agricultural production
5.3.1 Crop production
Wheat is the main staple food in Afghanistan, as it accounts for around 70 percent of total cereal consumption. Normally, the country is not self-sufficient and has to import wheat to fulfill its food demand. Due to natural disasters and variable
climate conditions, wheat production fluctuates strongly. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock MAIL, average imports for the years 2000-04 accounted for 33 percent of total demand Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation
and Livestock 2009. For 2009 – an exceptional good year – the provisional estimated production for all cereals is 6.3 million tons, while requirements are 6.53 million tons, resulting in a deficit of 220 thousand tons see
Table 5.6 .
