Residents of Takhtapul district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province say they are struggling to survive amid an ongoing drought that has devastated their crops, Ariananews.af reports.
This rural community mainly relies on agriculture to survive but climate change has virtually ended any hopes of farming.
Afghanistan has experienced three consecutive years of drought, including the most devastating drought in 30 years in 2021 and 2022.
Climate experts predict that by 2050, 90% of its territory will be affected by drought.
Afghanistan is one of the ten countries most vulnerable to climate change. It's also ranked fourth in overall disaster risk.
Takhtapul residents have spoken out about their plight and said they have sustained extensive losses due to the drought
They said in the past they had made a living off farming, but now due to the severe lack of water, their land has become barren.
They also said this is forcing their youth and younger generation to find work in other provinces or outside the country.
Abdullah, a resident of Takhtapul district of Kandahar, said: "Our youths have gone to Pakistan and other provinces in search of work due to unemployment and drought. There they have wheelbarrows [for day labourer work] or they do other jobs."
On the other hand, local officials say that they are trying to reduce unemployment by launching development projects in this district.
Along with droughts and lack of work for young people, the breakdown of roads, lack of health centers and lack of suitable places for education are among the problems that the residents of this district want to solve.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
18 декабря 2024 года