Afghanistan’s rural employment opportunities have declined sharply due to the ongoing economic recession. However, there’s a glimmer of hope from saffron cultivation and goat rearing.

Fatima, a 36-year-old from Kushk-e-Rubat Sangi district in Herat Province, who is also the head of the household, was encouraged to cultivate saffron after she learned of its value through a TV programme. However, this was constrained by her inability to afford inputs for saffron cultivation.

Luckily, she was identified by FAO as one of the beneficiaries for saffron cultivation, alongside 63 other women. With Japan’s funding, FAO provided saffron corms, fertilizers and essential cultivation tools as well as relevant training on best saffron cultivation practice and production in western Herat Province.

Each household received 100 kg of saffron corms, fertilizer, three types of baskets, metal cans, protection mask, forceps, hat, garden fork, sieve, temperature gauge, soap and soap case, scales and fungicide.

From the support and guidance she received from FAO team, Fatima cultivated 100 kg of saffron corms on approximately 250 square meter land.

“I received all the required inputs for saffron cultivation and necessary instruction through a two-day training programme. My children assisted me to prepare and cultivate saffron bulbs as per the technical guidance I received from FAO team,” explained the female farmer from Kushk-e-Rubat Sangi district.

The first year of production in 2020, each farmer produced a few grams of saffron which they sold for up to 2 000 Afghanis (around USD 23). By November 2022, the farmers collected about 200gms of saffron, which amounted to 16 000 Afghanis (approximately 180 USD).

In addition, FAO supported 1 020 families from the same district on goat farming. 24-year-old Bibi Gul, is one of the beneficiaries who received two local breed goats as well as related training on good goat rearing practices.  

 “I initially received two pregnant goats who gave birth to two kids. I was able to collect some cashmere from my goats for my personal use as well as for sale in the market,” Gul said. “I have plans to sell milk, yogurt and cashmere which will enable me to support my family from the additional income generated from farming,” she added.

Gul mainly fed the goat milk to her children, and sold the cashmere. She earned up to 1 500 Afghanis (about USD 17) from selling cashmere in one year. In 2022, she earned 17 000 Afghanis (190 USD) from selling some kids as well as cashmere. 

FAO supports rural women to engage in income-generating activities such as livestock keeping, apiculture, tree nurseries, poultry raising as well as mushroom and saffron cultivation. It makes intensive use of Farmer Field Schools and provide packages of wheat, soybean, chickpea and mung bean crops as well as vegetables including onion, squash and cauliflower, along with fertilizers and tools to cultivate and eventually market the output.

Both saffron cultivation and goat rearing in Herat Province were funded by the Government of Japan.