Daikundi: Climate change reduces farmers’ income by 70pc

NEILI (Pajhwok): Farmers in central Daikundi are concerned about what they say the negative impacts of climate change on their agriculture.

Officials also report that due to drought, the income of people in this province from farming has decreased by 60 to 70 percent.

Daikundi is one of the agricultural provinces where, according to officials, 90 percent of its residents depend on agriculture.

Zaman Ali, a farmer from Neili, the capital of Daikundi, says that droughts have inflicted irreparable damage on their crops, their primary source of income.

He said in recent years, drought and natural pests damaged a significant portion of their agricultural yields and fruit trees were lost.

He added, “Crops have been destroyed, trees have diminished, and those remaining yield little because of the drought, and if the situation continues like this, within a few years, agriculture will be completely destroyed."

This farmer, who has been associated with farming for the last40 years, said in the past, they could cover all their family expenses and even some external costs through farming. However, climate change has led to an increase in poverty among families and communities.

He added, "When there was snow and rain, I used to harvest more than two tons of wheat from my land and sell nearly 700 kilograms of almonds. Now, I have harvested only 800 kilograms of wheat, and my almonds are no more than 21 kilograms.”

Farmers in Daikundi also say the government has not provided any support to combat drought, and people are unable to implement solutions due to economic weakness.

Meanwhile, Arif  Hosseini, a resident of Shahristan district, says that climate change and its environmental impacts are very concerning for the people.

He added due to lack of water, people’s incomes had dropped by over 70 percent.

He noted, "Previously, there was a lot of water in Shahristan district, and people were engaged in farming. Now, there is no water, and people have given up farming; with  some migrating to Iran or Pakistan."

Hosseini also explained that no efforts had been made either by the people or the government to manage water or build reservoirs.

He emphasized that droughts, untimely rains, floods, and cold weather had damaged agriculture, severely weakening the economy of Daikundi residents.

Sultan, another farmer, said unending droughts dried up or damaged their fruit trees, resulting in decreased yields compared to last year.

He added that along with the drop in agricultural products, prices in the market had fallen, while the prices of goods and food items had increased.

He remarked, "I have been farming for almost 40 years, and now I have no other source of income. All farmers have been affected by these droughts."

Despite all this, farmers in Daikundi urge the government to assist them in building water reservoirs and drilling wells.

Meanwhile, officials at the Daikundi Environmental Protection Directorate say the extent of damage caused by climate change in this province is significant.

Arif Muzhda, head of public information and awareness at the Environmental department, states that according to their surveys, due to drought, people’s income from farming has decreased by 60 to 70 percent.

He added, "Climate change in Daikundi is so concerning that they speculate that within 20 years, central areas will be uninhabited, as people will be forced to migrate due to the absence of agriculture and income sources."

He views the environment of Daikundi as vulnerable to climate change and states that in recent years, in addition to drought, floods, untimely rains, and cold weather have further harmed the environment.

According to him, climate change causes a reduction in precipitation and leads to unneeded rainfall.

The head of public information and awareness at the Environmental department believes that the only solution to combat climate change and its destructive effects is to implement projects such as water management, strengthening groundwater resources, enhancing natural resources, and applying mechanized farming projects.

He added that the Environmental Protection Agency is a policy-making body, and no direct actions have been taken to combat climate change, but they encourage institutions to implement such projects.

Additionally, officials at the Daikundi Agriculture Directorate confirm that agricultural products in this province have decreased by 60 to 70 percent.

Hashim Behzad, director of promotion at the Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock of Daikundi, said that recent droughts dealt heavy blow to farmers’ income.

He adds that, in addition to the reduction and loss of agricultural products, the quality of fruits has also deteriorated.

He cited that to combat drought, the Agriculture Directorate, in collaboration with organizations, has implemented 14 projects, including 182 canals, 89 check dams, and water storage basins in various districts.

sa/ma