Afghanistan would face myriads of challenges after the withdrawal of international troops. One of the basic challenges would be the economic challenge. There would be decrease in the amount of the support that Afghanistan is getting today; therefore, it would have to rely on its own capacities to develop its economy. Though international community has promised to support Afghanistan even after 2014, there has to be a day when the country has to shoulder the responsibilities by itself. The sooner it starts efforts in this regard, the better it would be for the economic system of the country.
Afghanistan’s agricultural system would have a dominant role in the country’s journey towards self-dependency. However, it is unfortunate to note that the sector has not been given enough concentration and attention; therefore, it lags behind and is not able to perform up to the mark. On the other hand there has been the evil of poppy cultivation. It is really pathetic to mention that Afghanistan’s main crop is poppy and Afghanistan remains its top producer.
A study of Afghan agriculture would depict the fact that poppy has always been there to threaten Afghan society and fulfill the international demands for drugs. The political instability has played a large role in strengthening the production and business of this dangerous killer. Today, the poppy cultivation in Afghanistan can be linked to the network of organized crime and international drug mafia. On the other hand it has proved to be the source that provides financial support to Taliban insurgents. It is now an open secret that the long lasting violence and insurgency of Taliban militants have been highly sponsored by the poppy business.
Apart from that it is also very imperative to understand that poppy production and its business does not only effect Afghanistan by sponsoring Taliban and bringing bad name to the nation but also by making Afghan people addict to it. It can be easily observed in Afghan society that there are thousands of addicts throughout the country. These addicts do not include the men alone but there are many women and children as well who have been victimized by the curse of drugs. And the most unfortunate fact is that the number is increasing and the measures to curb the situation are non-existent.
Though international community on various occasions has pressurized Afghan government to control the situation, serious concerns still remain regarding any comprehensive and practicable strategy to solve the issue. The institutions in Afghanistan that are tasked with controlling the situation do not have enough capacity and capability to control the situation and most of the times they are unable to take any initiative against the drug mafia who are far more authoritative and have more control over the situation. One of the key factors that international community has emphasized on for continuing the financial support for Afghanistan is eradication of drugs. What will be the strategy of Afghan government regarding controlling this menace has yet to be witnessed.
There are different suggestion regarding controlling the poppy production and its spread in Afghanistan. One of the ways is to motivate the farmers not to grow the poppy crops from the very beginning and then there is another tactic that suggests for destroying the crops after they are grown. Both the methods can be useful for curbing the menace of drugs but it is more important to control the situation from the very beginning. Motivating farmers and landlords to grow alternative crops can be one of the best solutions as it is practicable as well and may bring the farmers and landlords profit as well.
One of the alternative crops in this regard can be saffron. Saffron has different advantages as compared to poppy cultivation and among them the most important one is that it does not bring harm to human life, it is legal and does not go against the teachings of Islam. It is one of those crops that have the capability to be grown in dry environment. Moreover, it does not need much irrigation as well. Simple irrigation two or three times a year would do the trick; in that sense, it is draught resistant. Poppy cultivation, in contrast, would require an extensive irrigation plan – six times a year.
Saffron has different uses and, in fact, makes life healthier. The common use of saffron can be found in adding flavor to dishes, preparing different types of medicines, hot drinks, appetizers and perfumes. Moreover, it has demand in the international market as well.
According to market studies, the price of one kg of saffron is about USD 3,000 in Afghanistan and regionally it is around USD 6,000; while the international price may even reach to USD 8,000. This shows that it is very lucrative and can be used as one of the basic exports of Afghanistan. It is also important to mention that the demand for saffron is very high both in regional and international markets.
Recently the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock revealed that more than four tons of saffron were exported from Afghanistan in the last Afghan calendar year. The year 1391 proved to be very much productive in this regard and the export may even rise if more attention is diverted towards the crop. It is important to note that currently there are 23 provinces in Afghanistan where saffron is produced. Herat produces the highest level of saffron and learning from its example, there can be endeavors to increase the production of saffron in other provinces as well.
What Afghan authorities and people require in this regard is iron will and determination to change the scenario. Yes, it is right that the producers of drugs have stronghold in our country, but unshakable decision both by government authorities and Afghan people can defeat them. If Afghan society is really interested in controlling the menace of drugs and stopping it from financing terrorism and bringing sufferings and death to common Afghan people through addiction, it has to launch a comprehensive strategy, among which the use of alternative crops can play a vital role. And, among alternative crops saffron can be the most practicable and lucrative.