A new report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals that farmers in northern Afghanistan are struggling to cope with the economic fallout of the poppy cultivation ban.
The survey indicates that 85% of families in Badakhshan, Balkh, and Kunduz provinces have been unable to find alternative income sources to replace their opium profits.
The UN agency highlights that the ban has dealt a profound economic blow to landowners and farmers who relied heavily on poppy cultivation.
Without viable alternatives or support systems, these communities are facing increasing financial instability and hardship, underscoring the deep impact of the policy on rural livelihoods.
The UNODC has called for urgent and targeted livelihood support to assist the affected farmers. T
he report emphasizes that addressing this economic shock is crucial to preventing further poverty and ensuring stability in these agricultural regions of Afghanistan.
