Profiles: Agriculture

Afghanistan's economy is based on agriculture, most of which is subsistence, and this dependence has increased as a result of the near collapse of the country's nascent industrial base. About 12 percent of the total land area is arable, around two percent is under forest cover, 46 percent is under permanent pastures and the rest is mountainous or desert.

The agricultural reference for post-war reconstruction is 1978, the last year of comparative peace in the country. Then the total population was around 15 million (compared to an estimated 22 million today), of which 10 million people lived in rural areas and about 1.5 were pastoralist nomads (Kuchis).

Because of unpredictable rains, most agriculture (85 percent) was traditionally irrigated ('daimi') rather than rainfed ('lalmi'). However since 1978 the irrigated area has declined by about 60 percent, turning a country that was approaching self-sufficiency in crop production into a net importer of food grains, fruit and vegetables.

The average farm size is between one and two hectares. Absentee landlords are common and share-cropping is expanding in most provinces.Wheat is the staple crop, accounting for about 70 percent of total cereal consumption. Other grains include rice, maize, barley and pulses. Potatoes, onions and several fruit crops including melons, watermelons, apricot, pomegranates and grapes are produced for domestic consumption and export.

    main crops grown
    other crops
    rural services