Investigating the Effects of Drought on the Economic Status and Lives of Farmers in Qala-e-Naw District, Badghis Province, During the Year 1403

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.sidebar##

Published Sep 30, 2026
https://doi.org/10.70436/nuijb.v5i03.493
Download
PDF 0
Statistic

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Vol. 5 No. 03 (2026): September

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##

Mohammad Nasim Firoozi
Badghis University
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9797-2859
Mohammad Younis Mahen
Badghis University
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5980-8440
Ahmad Zahir Firoozkoohi
Badghis University
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1551-9514

Abstract

Drought is a natural phenomenon that has recently exerted significant negative impacts on the population of Afghanistan. Unfortunately, adequate mitigation measures have not been adopted within the country; consequently, the detrimental effects of this phenomenon on the Afghan population are escalating daily. This study aims to investigate the impact of drought on the economic status and livelihoods of farmers in the Qala-e-Naw district of Badghis province during the year 1403. Through quantitative research employing a questionnaire, data were collected 61 farmers who were selected purposively. on The findings revealed that  consecutive droughts in 1403 have had devastating effects on the economic and livelihood conditions of farmers in the Qala-e-Naw district as a result of reduced rainfall and available water resources have led to a decrease in cultivated land area, the destruction of orchards, and severe damage to crops, including wheat, melons, and watermelons. More than 80% of farmers in this district have experienced drought directly and severely, with approximately 55% of agricultural crops sustaining damage. Water procurement costs have risen, compelling many families to rely on non-conventional sources such as water tankers; this has exacerbated living expenses and deepened poverty. This phenomenon has resulted in a reduction or complete cessation of income for over 70% of farming households, increased seasonal unemployment, diminished food security, and migration to urban areas. Furthermore, social tensions regarding water resources have intensified. Consequently, based on these findings, implementing supportive policies and strategic planning to develop appropriate mechanisms to mitigate the impact of this crisis is essential.

Keywords

: Drought; , Net Income; , Farmers; , Economic Status; , Qala-e-Naw District.

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
Firoozi, M. N., Mahen , M. Y., & Firoozkoohi , A. Z. (2026). Investigating the Effects of Drought on the Economic Status and Lives of Farmers in Qala-e-Naw District, Badghis Province, During the Year 1403. Nangarhar University International Journal of Biosciences, 5(03), 16–25. https://doi.org/10.70436/nuijb.v5i03.493

References

  1. References
  2. Adams, R. M., et al. (1999). The economic effects of climate change on U.S. agriculture. In R. Mendelsohn & J. E. Neumann (Eds.), The economic impact of climate change on the economy of the United States (pp. 18–54). Cambridge University Press.
  3. Adger, W. N., & Brown, K. (1994). Land use and the causes of global warming. Wiley.
  4. Adger, W. N., Paavola, J., Huq, S., & Mace, M. J. (Eds.). (2006). Fairness in adaptation to climate change. MIT Press.
  5. Adger, W. N., Pettenella, D., & Whitby, M. (Eds.). (1997). Climate change mitigation and European land use policies. CAB International.
  6. Adger, W. N., & Vincent, K. (2005). Uncertainty in adaptive capacity. Comptes Rendus Geoscience, 337(4), 399–410.
  7. AEA. (2007). Adaptation to climate change in the agricultural sector. AEA Energy and Environment & Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
  8. Aliyar, Q., Zulfiqar, F., Datta, A., & Kuwornu, J. K. M. (2022). Drought perception and field-level adaptation strategies of farming households in drought-prone areas of Afghanistan. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 72, 102858.
  9. Amarnath, G., Ghosh, S., & Alahacoon, N. (2023). Afghanistan drought early warning decision support (AF-DEWS) tool. IWMI Research Report No. 188.
  10. Bakker, K. (1999). A framework for institutional analysis. SIRCH Working Paper No. 3.
  11. Bauman, A., Goemans, C., Pritchett, J., & McFadden, D. T. (2013). Estimating the economic and social impacts from the drought in Southern Colorado. Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education, 151(1), 61–69.
  12. Bhatnagar, S., & Ahmed, Z. S. (2021). Geopolitics of landlocked states in South Asia: A comparative analysis of Afghanistan and Nepal. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 75(1), 60–79.
  13. Bhattacharyya, K., Azizi, P. M., Shobair, S. S., & Mohsini, M. Y. (2004). Drought impacts and potential for their mitigation in southern and western Afghanistan (Working Paper No. 91).
  14. Black, R., Bennett, S. R. G., Thomas, S. M., & Beddington, J. R. (2011). Climate change: Migration as adaptation. Nature, 478(7370), 447–449.
  15. Brüntrup, M., & Tsegai, D. (2017). Drought adaptation and resilience in developing countries (Briefing Paper No. 23). German Development Institute (DIE).
  16. Carrão, H., Naumann, G., & Barbosa, P. (2018). Global projections of drought hazard in a warming climate. Climate Dynamics, 50(5–6), 2137–2155.
  17. Daqiq, M. T., Sharma, R., Karunakalage, A., & Kannaujiya, S. (2023). Determination of groundwater storage variation, deficit, and abstraction in Afghanistan. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 61, 1–18.
  18. Dercon, S. (2004). Growth and shocks: Evidence from rural Ethiopia. Journal of Development Economics, 74(2), 309–329.
  19. Falkenmark, M., Wang-Erlandsson, L., & Rockström, J. (2019). Understanding of water resilience in the Anthropocene. Journal of Hydrology X, 2, 100009.
  20. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2020). Building resilience to drought in agriculture. FAO.
  21. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2021). The impact of disasters and crises on agriculture and food security. FAO.
  22. Gleeson, T., Wada, Y., Bierkens, M. F. P., & van Beek, L. P. H. (2012). Water balance of global aquifers revealed by groundwater footprint. Nature, 488(7410), 197–200.
  23. Hayes, K., Blashki, G., Wiseman, J., Burke, S., & Reifels, L. (2018). Climate change and mental health: Risks, impacts and priority actions. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 12(1), 28.
  24. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2022). Climate change 2022: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Cambridge University Press.
  25. Kahiluoto, H., Kaseva, J., Balek, J., et al. (2019). Decline in climate resilience of European wheat. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(1), 123–128.
  26. Karim, M. R., & Rahman, M. A. (2015). Drought risk management for increased cereal production in Asian least developed countries. Weather and Climate Extremes, 7, 24–35.
  27. Lesk, C., Rowhani, P., & Ramankutty, N. (2016). Influence of extreme weather disasters on global crop production. Nature, 529(7584), 84–87.
  28. Miyan, M. A. (2015). Droughts in Asian least developed countries. Weather and Climate Extremes, 7, 8–23.
  29. Nasrati, R. (2018). Signs of climate change in Afghanistan: Drought and its effect on agriculture. Regional Problems, 21(3), 75–81.
  30. NSIA. (2023). Estimated population of Afghanistan 2023–2024. National Statistics and Information Authority.
  31. OCHA. (2024). Afghanistan: Overview of natural disasters. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
  32. Poole, N., Echavez, C., & Rowland, D. (2018). Are agriculture and nutrition policies coherent? Food Security, 10(6), 1577–1601.
  33. Qutbudin, I. (2019). Seasonal drought pattern changes due to climate variability. Water, 11(5), 1095.
  34. Rockström, J., Karlberg, L., Wani, S. P., et al. (2010). Managing water in rainfed agriculture—The need for a paradigm shift. Agricultural Water Management, 97(4), 543–550.
  35. Rousta, I. (2020). Climate change impacts on vegetation and agricultural drought in the Panjshir River basin. Journal of Climate Change Research, 1(4), 77–88.
  36. Safi, L., & Mushwani, H. (2025). Assessing public awareness and socio-economic impacts of drought in Bamyan Province. Journal of Natural Sciences – Kabul University, 6(4), 127–137.
  37. Safi, L., & Safi, A. G. (2024). Assessing agricultural sector vulnerability to climate change in Afghanistan. Journal of Natural Sciences – Kabul University, 7(Special Issue), 91–112.
  38. Stanke, C., Murray, V., Amlôt, R., Nurse, J., & Williams, R. (2013). The effects of flooding on mental health: Outcomes and recommendations from a review of the literature. PLoS Currents, 5.
  39. Thornton, P. K., van de Steeg, J., Notenbaert, A., & Herrero, M. (2011). The impacts of climate change on livestock and livestock systems in developing countries. Agricultural Systems, 101(3), 113–127.
  40. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2018). Drought risk management and mitigation strategies. UNDP.
  41. Wheeler, T., & von Braun, J. (2013). Climate change impacts on global food security. Science, 341(6145), 508–513.
  42. World Bank. (2020). Poverty and shared prosperity 2020: Reversals of fortune.
  43. World Bank. (2021). Climate change action plan 2021–2025.
  44. World Bank Group. (2017). Afghanistan disaster risk profile.