Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Highlights Past Achievements and Future Plans
KABUL(BNA): As part of the program outlining the annual achievements of various Emirate institutions, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock presented the key activities, accomplishments, and future plans of the past year to the media.
According to a Bakhtar News Agency reporter, the event was held at the Government Media and Information Center, where Acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, Mawlawi Attaullah Omari, provided a comprehensive overview of the ministry’s significant activities over the past year, focusing on the development and mechanization of agriculture and livestock, the expansion and protection of natural resources, water management, and the regulation of Afghanistan’s land affairs.
Mawlawi Omari highlighted Afghanistan’s favorable geographic location, fertile land, water resources, and suitable climate, emphasizing the need for proper utilization to achieve self-sufficiency.
He noted that in the past year, the ministry provided loans totaling 1.3 billion Afghanis from its development fund to farmers, livestock owners, and the private sector to support agriculture and livestock.
Additionally, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Mawlawi Sadr Azam Osmani, shared key activities and achievements in the sector, stating that over the past year, 33,000 metric tons of improved seeds and 54,000 metric tons of chemical fertilizers were distributed to 660,000 farmers through national and international aid agencies and institutions.
He added that in the same period, 250 metric tons of saffron bulbs, chemical fertilizers, and agricultural supplies were distributed to 500 saffron growers in Herat, over 9.26 million livestock were treated, and more than 16.64 million livestock received various vaccinations.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Irrigation and Natural Resources, Mawlawi Baz Mohammad Faizan, reported that irrigation projects costing 50 million Afghanis were implemented in 11 provinces, irrigating approximately 7,000 hectares of land.
Faizan noted that Afghanistan has 28,000 small and large canals nationwide, and the ministry is working to rehabilitate all of them.
According to his information, last year, over 2,000 tons of pine nuts and 2,515 tons of pistachios were harvested, and with the cooperation of partner institutions, more than 125,000 saplings of pistachios, almonds, walnuts, and jujube were planted in 13 provinces.
Moreover, over the past year, more than 690,000 fruit-bearing and non-fruit-bearing saplings were distributed nationwide, while in the past three years, 82 million saplings have been planted through national campaigns.
Officials from the Ministry reported that over the past year, 1.7 million acres of Emirate land were reclaimed, registered in the land bank, and more than 14,000 acres of clear Emirate land were legally transferred to relevant companies and individuals in the country’s center and provinces.
They added that in the same period, the ministry, in coordination with partner institutions, implemented 271 projects worth $300 million in agriculture, irrigation, and livestock, generating 756.64 million Afghanis in revenue from various sources, which were deposited into the state treasury.
Notably, the ministry’s key plans for the current fiscal year (1403) include establishing commercial orchards on 135 acres of land in 10 provinces, restoring 390 hectares of pistachio forests in 12 provinces, constructing 12 new irrigation networks and facilities in 12 provinces, and surveying and registering properties in informal areas and towns in four districts of Kabul city.
Bakhtar
