The change comes after a massive 95 percent drop in opium cultivation in 2023. Opium production in Afghanistan has drastically decreased since last year’s ban nearly halted poppy production across the country.
Although cultivation has increased, current levels are still much lower than in 2022, when opium cultivation covered an area of 2,32,000 hectares.
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Wali stressed the urgency of finding sustainable alternatives to the problems faced by Afghan farmers.
“Opium cultivation in Afghanistan is at a very low level, which gives us an opportunity and responsibility to help provide a sustainable source of income to Afghan farmers by removing them from the illicit market,” he said.
“The men and women of Afghanistan are facing a dire economic and humanitarian crisis and are in urgent need of alternative means of livelihood,” he said.
Change in farming methods
The UNODC report also highlights changes in the geographic patterns of agriculture. While traditionally, southwestern Afghanistan has been the center of opium production, this year the northeastern provinces accounted for 59 percent of opium cultivation.
This represents an almost four-fold increase in this area over the previous year. This suggests that farmers are experiencing market pressures due to strict Taliban restrictions, but also that rural communities are looking for alternatives to farming, which increases the likelihood of promoting sustainable farming practices.
According to UNODC, one of the reasons for the resurgence of opium production may be market demand and economic hardship for farmers. The price of dried opium is estimated to be around $730 per kilogram in the first half of 2024, significantly higher than the average level of $100 per kilogram before the ban.
UNODC said “higher prices and reduced opium stocks could motivate farmers to break the ban, especially those not traditionally known for growing opium. This could also spread to neighboring countries.”
According to the report, farmers are facing severe economic crisis due to lack of sustainable alternatives. Therefore, it is clear that they need other sources of income so that they can avoid returning to opium cultivation in the future and become economically empowered.
Need support
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), praised the positive effects of reducing opium production, but also highlighted the problems faced by Afghan farmers.
“This is important evidence that opium production has decreased, news that will be welcomed by Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, the region and the world at large,” he said.
But he also warned that rural Afghan communities have lost an important source of income and urgently need international assistance to transition them from opium production to sustainable alternatives.
““If we want this change to last… they need immediate international support.”