Vol. 21 No. 3 (1), 2018

Signs of climate change in Afghanistan: drought and its effect on agriculture

Author(s):
Rafi ullah Nasrati.

DOI: 10.31433/1605-220X-2018-21-3(1)-75-81

PDF (3703 К) PP. 75-81.

Abstract:
Afghanistan is one of the countries that have suffered the most damages from the change of climate. Over the recent decades, its temperature has increased and on the contrary, precipitation has decreased, with serious change in its special and temporal distribution. Decrease in the thickness and area of the avalanches, retreat of the snow line, decline of the ground water level, decrease of river fl ows, and shortage of potable water for humans, animals and irrigation are considered as other signs and effects of the climate change (CC). Occurrence of successive droughts, poverty, mass immigration, decrease of the price of cattle or their death, loss of rain-fed agriculture or its serious damage, decrease of the level of agricultural products, lack of food security, elimination of pastures, spread of human, animal and plant diseases, pollution of water, soil and air and tens of other cases have been continually caused due to the CC in Afghanistan. Although the part of Afghanistan has very little signs of the climate change, it suffers more than any other country. There are two solutions to decrease the effects of the CC in the country. First, to take preventive measures, or to be prepared before the occurrence of an incident and second, to coordinate life conditions with climate changes; all effects of the CC in Afghanistan should be considered.

Keywords:
climate, drought, rainfall, temperature, water

References:
1. Afghanistan Statistic yearbook, 1390: (Agriculture Development Report) Statistics Central Press Issue 30rd.
2. Agriculture Prospects Report, Policy and Planning Department Marketing, Economics and Statistics Division (Faahm) (MAIL) Kabul, 2005 to 2011.
3. Report for Rainfall Parameter, Afghanistan Meteorology Department, 1955 to 2013, Kabul, Afghanistan.
4. Report for Rainfall Parameter, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and livestock, 2005 to 2013, Kabul, Afghanistan.
5. USDA (United State Department of Agriculture) (2008) Foreign Agricultural Service Commodity Intelligence Report.