FAO urges ramped up agricultural assistance to help Afghanistan escape hunger

As the Afghan people confront widespread drought, rural dislocation and economic upheaval, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is providing critical life-saving assistance to farmers and herders, but also urging far greater support for agricultural production to feed the Afghan people. 

As the Afghan people confront widespread drought, rural dislocation and economic upheaval, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is providing critical life-saving assistance to farmers and herders, but also urging far greater support for agricultural production to feed the Afghan people. 

More than 18 million Afghans are unable to feed themselves on a daily basis, and this number is projected to rise to 22.8 millions by the end of 2021. FAO is supporting farmers and herders with seeds, fertilizer, cash and livelihood support to keep agricultural production going and to avoid widespread livelihood collapse in several parts of the country.

Due to severe droughts, farmers are unable to irrigate their fields, or even provide water to their families and their animals. 

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Abdul Nafi, a pomegranate Orchard owner: “We face many difficulties due to the drought, you can see how dry these orchards are. Moreover, we have less drinking water, so we are facing many difficulties. We are suffering from the drought; we need to be assisted, for example deep wells should be dug for us and there should be assistance to rescue our assets (orchards) from being dried by the drought.”

Without a massive uplift in humanitarian support, more farmers and herders will be forced to abandon their land and this will severely damage Afghanistan’s food production capacity, and worsen the already staggering food insecurity figures.

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Haji Khair Mohammad, a nomad Panjwai, Kandahar: “ Due to current drought and lack of food for animal, our animals are very thin and skinny, they are not producing milk, also some of our animals died.” 

Agriculture is the backbone of Afghan livelihoods and critical for Afghanistan’s economy. Protecting rural livelihoods is a core element of the immediate emergency humanitarian response to Afghanistan’s crisis, in addition to other lifesaving support. 

Around 70 percent of Afghans live in rural areas and agriculture accounts for at least 25 percent of GDP while an estimated 80 percent of all livelihoods depend directly or indirectly on agriculture.

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Bibi Shah, a farmer from Shakiwan Tajiki village, Zendajan District: “Our problem is that we don’t have wheat seed, fertilizers and also food items like rice, oil and wheat flour.”

FAO is currently distributing wheat cultivation packages for Afghanistan’s winter wheat season, including 50 kg of high quality and locally-supplied certified wheat seeds, along with training for farmers. 

SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Trenchard, FAO Representative in Afghanistan: “It is disastrous. Every farmer we’ve spoken to has lost almost all of their crops this year, they were forced to sell their livestock, and they’ve got no money at the moment. These seeds are absolutely vital.”

The campaign will benefit 1.3 million Afghans and will enable them to maintain their livelihoods in the coming weeks and months. For USD 150, a single package can help a family with its cereal needs for a year. This support is key for farmers to be able to stay in the farms and avoid resorting to rural migration in despair. 

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Esmatullah Mirzada, a farmer from Safar Khan village, Zendajan district, who has been recently assisted by FAO: “If we didn't get this bag of certified wheat seeds, we wouldn’t be able to cultivate wheat this year. This improved wheat seeds will grow a much better yield”

But the lean season before the harvest will be harsh and much more needs to be done to feed rural families and ensure their survival, that means protecting their livestock to keep their valuable animals alive, healthy and productive.

FAO urgently needs $115 million to reach five million men, women and children this winter and for the Spring Response in 2022 to protect rural livelihoods. This funding request is part of FAO’s overall $200 million requirement for its humanitarian response in 2022. 

LOCATIONS: Various locations in Kandahar area,  Herat province, Afghanistan

DATE: 3-4, 15 November 2021

SOUND: Natural / Pashto / English

LENGHT: 04’00’’

SOURCE: FAO

RESTRICTION: Please give on-screen credit to FAO

 3-4 November 2021, Kandahar Area

1. Tracking shot of dry bed of Zahir Shahi Canal on the outskirts of Kandahar

2. Wide Shot of a man looking at the dry bed of Zahir Shahi Canal

3. Wide Shot of farmers working their land with shovels

4. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Abdul Nafi, a pomegranate Orchard owner: “We face many difficulties due to the drought, you can see how dry these orchards are. Moreover, we have less drinking water, so we are facing many difficulties. We are suffering from the drought; we need to be assisted for example deep wells should be dug for us and there should be assistance to rescue our assets (orchards) from being dried by the drought.”

5. Tilt down to wide shot of  water well drilling

6. Close up of mud being excavated from ground

3-4 November 2021, Nomadic camp, Kandahar Area

7. Pan shot on nomadic encampment 

8. Back shot of Haji Khair Mohammad walking in his nomadic encampment 

9. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Haji Khair Mohammad, a nomad Panjwai, Kandahar: “Due to current drought and lack of food for animals, our animals are very thin and skinny, they are not producing milk and also some of our animals died.” 

Aaliyah village in Panjwai Districts east of Kandahar city, Kandahar Area, November 2021

10. Close up of a sheep looking for food on the barren ground

3-4 November 2021, Nomadic camp, Kandahar Area

11. Closeup of a sheep with respiratory disease

12. Wide shot of a donkey near the nomadic camp

13. A nomad milking a goat

14. A donkey nearby the nomadic camp

15. Back shot of FAO staff Feroz Aryan ( camera left) walking toward a nomadic tent with Haji Khair Mohammad ( camera right)

 3-4 November 2021, Baba Sahab village, Kandahar area

16. Medium shot of a man speaking at during training on irrigation techniques

15 November 2021, Shakiwan Tajiki village, Zendajan District, Herat Province

17. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Bibi Shah, a farmer from Shakiwan Tajiki village, Zendajan District: “Our problem is that we don’t have wheat seed, fertilizers and also food items like rice, oil and wheat flour”

15 November 2021, Zendajan’s District Centre, Herat province

18. Wide shot of Richard Trenchard, FAO Representative in Afghanistan ( camera right), and Jawid Sultany, FAO officer ( camera left), talking with a female farmer who has received the certified wheat seeds.

19. Close up of the certified bag of wheat seeds distributed

20. Wide of Richard Trenchard, FAO Representative in Afghanistan ( camera left) and Jawid Sultany, FAO officer (camera right) talk to a recipient of the wheat grains 

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Trenchard, FAO Representative in Afghanistan: “It is disastrous. Every farmer we’ve spoken to has lost almost all of their crops this year, they were forced to sell their livestock, and they’ve got no money at the moment. These seeds are absolutely vital.”

22. Wide of bags of 50 kg of certified wheat seeds distributed by FAO and funded by USAID.

23. Tracking shot of recipients of bags of wheat seeds

24. Wide shot of Richard Trenchard  at seeds distribution at Zendajan’s District Centre, Herat province, Afghanistan 

25. Wide shot of seeds distribution at Zendajan’s District Centre, Herat province, Afghanistan

15 November 2021, Safar Khan village, Zendajan district, Herat province

26. Back shot of Richard Trenchard, FAO Representative in Afghanistan ( camera right) and Ahmad Shah, FAO officer ( camera left), arriving at the field of Esmatullah Mirzada, a farmer from Safar Khan village, Zendajan district, who has been recently assisted by FAO.

27. Close-up of Esmatullah Mirzada.

28. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Esmatullah Mirzada, a farmer from Safar Khan village, Zendajan district, who has been recently assisted by FAO: “If we didn't get this bag of certified wheat seeds, we wouldn’t be able to cultivate wheat this year. This improved wheat seeds will grow a much better yield”

29. Close up of Esmatullah Mirzada sowing wheat seeds in the field

30. Wide shot of Esmatullah Mirzada sowing wheat seeds in the field

31. Close up shot of Ox being prepared to roll flat the land

32. Medium shot of man preparing Ox to roll flat the land

33. Close up shot of Ox being prepared to roll flat the land

34. Medium shot of man preparing Ox to roll flat the land

35. Wide shot of young farmer rolling flat the land with oxes 

ENDS