Afghanistan’s natural resources can be used in a more effective and sustainable way. While water is underutilized in agriculture, grassland and forests suffer too much pressure. In some places, this has led to a vicious circle, increasing the chances of natural disasters.
Natural Resources in Afghanistan include rangelands; forests; protected areas and wildlife including all flora and fauna.The livelihoods of over three-quarter of Afghans, depends on natural resources.These
resources, however, face serious man-made and natural threats. High population growth, poverty, overdependence of rural populations on natural resources coupled with a low level of awareness about natural resource management and climate change are the biggest challenges for the protection and management of natural resources.Despite frequent natural disasters and the impact of climate change, Afghanistan remains a country, rich in natural resources su
Afghanistan’s natural resources can be used in a more effective and sustainable way. While water is underutilized in agriculture, grassland and forests suffer too much pressure. In some places, this has led to a vicious circle, increasing the chances of natural disasters.
Natural Resources in Afghanistan include rangelands; forests; protected areas and wildlife including all flora and fauna.The livelihoods of over three-quarter of Afghans, depends on natural resources.These
resources, however, face serious man-made and natural threats. High population growth, poverty, overdependence of rural populations on natural resources coupled with a low level of awareness about natural resource management and climate change are the biggest challenges for the protection and management of natural resources.Despite frequent natural disasters and the impact of climate change, Afghanistan remains a country, rich in natural resources such as over 1.781 million hectares of forest (2.879% of the total surface of the country), over 30.243million hectares of rangelands (46.97%of the total surface of the country)(FAO, 2016), 75 billion cubic meters of fresh water,515 bird species, 150 mammals, 112 reptiles, 8 amphibians, 139 fish, 245 butterflies, around 4,000 vascular plant species, between 600 –1200 endemic plant species. Natural resources have a significant economic, social and cultural value. 80 per cent Afghans depend directly on natural resources to meet their livelihood requirements (UNEP 2009c).The biological resources and the ecological processes in Afghanistan are crucial for survival of local people. Barring the most arid deserts and frozen mountains, virtually every other ecosystem in the country has been used from time immemorial, be it farming, livestock grazing, fuel wood and medicinal plant collection or hunting (UNEP 2003).
These natural resources, however, face serious manmade and natural threats; High population growth, poverty, overdependence of rural populations on natural resources coupled with a low level of awareness about natural resource management and climate change are the biggest challenges for the protection and management of natural resources. Reduction of country’s natural resource repository during the armed conflict yearshas reduced livelihood options for local communities, making them even more dependent on the existing degraded natural resource base for meeting their daily requirements. Deforestation has resulted in higher incidence of landslides and floods. Over grazing coupled withfrequent droughts has turned Afghanistan highly susceptible to desertification. Revival and conservation of ecosystems, related services and relevant traditional knowledge are critical for the survival of local communities and overall development of the country. Securing the resource base plays the dual purpose of mitigating impacts from climate change while enhancing the adaptive capacity and climate change resilience of the country’s population and strengthening natural resource-based livelihoods.
