Afghanistan Peace CampaignThe International Organization for Migration (IOM) in coordination with EU partnerships conducted research on the impact of climate change, mental health, infrastructure and urban migration on displacement-affected communities in Afghanistan.
The IOM said that nearly 60% of the population suffers from climate shock.
The IOM said that according to analysts and existing literature, wheat production has dropped by 30% in the country over the last year.
“A current severe, multi-year drought has exacerbated acute food shortages experienced by more than half of Afghanistan’s population, and severely impacted their livelihoods; in rural areas, many are limited in their ability to diversify their income sources,” the report reads.
According to the IOM, 97% of the population is living below the poverty line, with climate change playing a critical role.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock also expressed concerns over the low levels of wheat in Afghanistan.
“We are producing between 4.7 to 5 million metric tons of wheat annually with the climate changes in Afghanistan,” said Mohammad Qassim Obaidi, an official of the ministry.
In infrastructure, the IOM said that one of the major implications of the “Taliban takeover for economies in major cities” was the downturn in available work opportunities due to electricity cuts and lower tariffs, which resulted in the closure of many factories.
“The power which we only have for the factories in Kabul is around 100 to 120 megawatts while we need 300 megawatts. This is insufficient,” said Rahimullah Samandar, head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industry and Mines (ACIM).
“Production has dropped 35 percent. Also, if a new factory wants to have access to electricity, it is impossible,” said Sakhi Ahmad Payman, deputy head of the ACIM.
“To prevent the possible risks and prepare the society for the dangerous outcomes of climate change, the international community’s development aid in food security and infrastructure sector is vital and important,” said Abdul Rahman Habib, a spokesman for the Ministry of Economy.
Earlier, the World Bank reported that two in three Afghan households are struggling to provide food for themselves.