The Taliban-run Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock said Monday that national and international institutions spent approximately $192 million on agricultural, irrigation and livestock projects in the country over the past year.
The figures were shared during the ministry’s annual performance report.
According to Taliban officials from the ministry, more than 130,000 jeribs of land were allocated to state ministries and agencies, while an additional 84,000 hectares in 29 provinces have been designated for industrial park development, with transfers still underway.
The ministry also claimed it had provided 1.4 billion Afghanis (roughly $16 million) in investment opportunities to 235 investors, as part of efforts to attract private sector involvement in agriculture.
In land management, officials said approximately 1.7 million jeribs of land classified as “Emirati”—or state-owned—land were registered in the national Land Bank, while over 9 million jeribs of various land types—including pasture and leased land—were surveyed using digital mapping technologies.
The ministry reported it had overseen the protection of 1.7 million hectares of forest, 30 million hectares of pastureland, and 23 protected zones.
Irrigation projects were carried out in 12 provinces, bringing thousands of hectares under cultivation, while 138 check dams were built in 10 provinces to support groundwater recharge.
In the livestock sector, over 300,000 cows underwent artificial insemination, with 320,000 doses of frozen sperm produced. More than 16 million animals were vaccinated, and 10 million received treatment. The ministry also established milk collection centers, animal health clinics, and fish and dairy production facilities in various provinces.
The ministry said these initiatives had standardized animal products and increased incomes for livestock owners.
According to Taliban officials, more than 100 million saplings and cuttings were planted as part of national tree-planting campaigns, while 250,000 saplings were cultivated in public nurseries.
To boost crop productivity, 43,000 metric tons of improved wheat seed and fertilizer, as well as improved seeds for vegetables, saffron, cotton, and medicinal plants, were distributed to farmers in all 34 provinces, the ministry said.
The ministry added that it had trained 150,000 farmers in areas such as pest control, modern farming methods, and machinery use. Hundreds of greenhouses and orchards were established in coordination with private-sector and donor partners.
In addition, 493 agricultural research trials were conducted to identify disease-resistant plant varieties.
Through the Agricultural Development Fund, over 1.4 billion Afghanis in Islamic financing was disbursed to farmers, livestock owners and private companies, Taliban said.
This comes as Afghanistan is grappling with a fragile economy amidst reduction in international aid and Taliban restrictions on women’s jobs at non-governmental organizations that has heavily impacted agricultural projects among other sectors.
