Deforestation in Afghanistan remains a challenge: FAO

KABUL (Pajhwok): The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says deforestation continues to be a significant challenge in Afghanistan, causing considerable environmental damage.

Forests and shrublands in Afghanistan covered approximately 1.78 million hectares, accounting for nearly 2.8 percent of the country’s total land area, FAO said.

It added: “With the support of the Global Environment Facility, FAO provided local communities in Kunar province with over 471,000 pine and walnut saplings for afforestation and reforestation purposes, covering 2,980 hectares.”

In addition, to support agroforestry initiatives, FAO distributed more than 80,000 saplings of sweet orange, apple and persimmon to local communities.

Between 1990 and 2000, the coverage of forests and shrublands significantly decreased, with an average annual deforestation rate of 2.3 percent in Afghanistan.

Earlier this year, FAO reported Afghanistan had lost 34 percent of its forests over the past 15 years. Unauthorised deforestation had continued for years, with governments unable to effectively prevent it.

However, last year, the Ministry of Interior established a special security unit tasked with the protection and preservation of the country’s forests.

The ministry warned that individuals involved in illegal tree-cutting and destruction of natural resources would face prosecution under the law.

kk/mud