Afghanistan: This Forestry Project in Afghanistan is Pushing Women to the Forefront of Climate Action

Feb 5, 2024 | Aga Khan Foundation
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Zahra remembers what it was like to have predictable agricultural yields. The mother of six, who lives in Afghanistan’s Bamyan province, farms barley, potato and wheat alongside her husband in the country’s highlands.

For years, the couple’s harvest was sufficient to feed their family and earn an income as they sold the excess at a local market. But these days, the family is struggling, Zahra said, and it’s getting worse yearly.

Changes in the climate, including unpredictable rain and snow patterns, increasing temperatures and an ongoing drought, have drastically impacted farmers across Afghanistan like Zahra.

While the country is one of the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, Afghanistan ranks the eighth most vulnerable and least prepared country to adapt to climate change.

“In the spring, the water [rainfall] reduced and it was not enough to irrigate the potatoes, so it dried at the flowering stage,” Zahra explained. “If there was enough water, I would have gotten 25,000 kg of potato.”