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KABUL – Last year, Afghanistan endured its worst drought in three decades and is now in its third consecutive year of ‘drought-like conditions’, which have placed Afghanistan among nations with highest levels of food insecurity, according to a new report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The report emphasizes that the impact of climate change in Afghanistan goes beyond just elevated temperatures, affecting crucial sectors such as agriculture, water, energy, health, forestation, biodiversity, ecosystems, livelihoods, and the economy.
Afghanistan’s vulnerability is starkly illustrated by a significant rise in its mean annual temperature, which surged by 1.8° between 1951 and 2010—nearly twice the global average, according to the report. OCHA reveals that 30 out of 34 provinces are currently grappling with severe or extremely poor water quality.
The impact of desertification is evident, affecting over 75% of the land in northern, western, and southern regions. Rain-fed agriculture, upon which 60% of the population depends, is under threat due to changes in precipitation patterns, as highlighted by OCHA.
Expressing concern, OCHA points out that natural disasters are increasing in intensity and severity, ranking Afghanistan as the fourth most at-risk country and the eighth most vulnerable and least prepared to adapt to climate change.
Earlier, farmers and citizens shared their struggles, citing massive losses and the destruction of agricultural lands due to water scarcity. The report serves as a stark warning, urging collective efforts to address the escalating crisis in Afghanistan.
