Coinciding with the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, United Nations experts have warned that Afghanistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change.
According to the experts, recurring droughts, expanding desertification, dwindling water resources and extreme weather events pose serious threats to the livelihoods of millions of people and the country’s food security.
The United Nations has designated 17 June as the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, saying the aim is to raise public awareness about the consequences of land degradation and drought and promote solutions for restoring degraded land.
In a statement issued today (Wednesday) on the occasion, the UN said: “Afghanistan faces growing climate and environmental challenges that are increasingly affecting livelihoods, food security and social stability, while drought and water scarcity remain the most widespread threats.”
According to the statement, more than half of the country’s population is affected by these conditions, and prolonged dry spells have severely damaged agriculture, which forms the backbone of rural livelihoods.
The UN noted that in eastern provinces such as Nangarhar, farmers continue to report repeated crop losses, while declining water resources have intensified competition over land and water.
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