Jawzjan women farmers demand refined seeds, fertilizers

SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): Women farmers in northern Jawzjan province are calling on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to support them by providing refined seeds, fertilizers, and marketing assistance to improve their yields.

According to the Jawzjan Agriculture Department, over 1,000 women are currently engaged in agriculture across the province.

Neda, a 26-year-old farmer from Shiberghan city, told Pajhwok Afghan News that she has been associated with agriculture since last four years to support her family.

A graduate from the Jawzjan Institute of Agriculture, Neda manages more than two acres of land alongside her father and brothers.

She grows vegetables, cotton, maize, eggplant, and okra, which she sells to earn a livelihood.

Neda expressed her strong passion for her work and hoped to pursue further education as the conditions improve.

She urged the IEA to focus on distributing chemical fertilizers, refined seeds, and farming equipment, as well as offering training programs for women farmers.

Similarly, Shahr Banu, a 71-year-old woman who has been working in her land for 50 years, also said she supported her family through agriculture.

Following her husband’s death, Shahr Banu took over full responsibility of her family. Despite initial challenges, she persevered with managing her land to produce wheat, melons, watermelons, and cotton.

She has employed widows and poor women to help with the harvest, compensating them with a portion of the crops and wages.

Shahr Banu also calls on the IEA to improve the process of distribution of seeds, fertilizers, and tools for women farmers.

Other women farmers in the province share similar concerns, emphasizing that proper support can help women farmers create more job opportunities for women in need.

Mohammad Arif Osama, Head of Promotion and Development at the Jawzjan Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Department, confirmed that over 1,000 women were involved in agriculture in Jawzjan.

He stated that efforts are underway to launch training programs for women farmers and to distribute fertilizers and improved quality seeds to enhance agricultural productivity, with a particular focus on supporting female farmers.

sa/ma