Urban agriculture in Kabul Catherine Laillet

Programm GERES en afgha

GERES projets 1 O GH in Jangalak (D7) Vulnerable people 30 GH Small farmers 2 years programs Income generation Training by Kabura

Aims of the study Getting a better understanding of urban agriculture in post-war situation and of the links between rural and urban areas =>increase the quality of the programme Getting a better understanding of - the farming systems based on vegetables production - the technical constraints - the market chain => In order to implement more GH

Context 23 years of conflicts  Massive decrease of the agricultural production Large population increase within Kabul city  Land pressure Water shortage:  Competition for water What are the main past and present evolution patterns of the agriculture within Kabul?

Methodology Zoning Individual surveys (history, farming systems, farmer’s constraints and strategies) Focus groups Interviews with key stakeholders

Key wordsAgri. policies Int. market s inhabitant Farming system Main constraints Before the war Garden, parks, open city, markets and good roads YesOpen Green belt Gardens, fruit trees and flowers inside the city Djihad against russia Refuge city for the rural population NoClose2 M Arrival of rural pop Wheat mainlyLack of land and water Najibullah regime Modernization of the agricultural sector YesPartly open 2,5 M Increase the wheat yields => increase of horti Decrease AH Water = digging wheels Water table is affected Kabul a Ghost city War, Kabul is destroyer Nono Reduction of farming activities Working in the field (bombs) Access to water (mines, destruction of canals) : Taliban regime Embargo, Kabul is empty NoClosed /embargo Few vegetables Wheat drought Access to water and agro inputs Competition between urban spaces and agricultural areas yes 3,4- 3,7M Intensification Diversification of incomes Increase of the flowers market Water Price of land Competition from Pak. and other cities

Before the warNajibullahDjihadReconstructionTalibanPhantom city

2 types of zones Zone 1: Traditional subsistence peri urban agriculture Zone 2: Urban irrigated mixed agriculture (market oriented, concurrence for the access to the main resources between urban uses and agricultural purposes.)

The agriculture in kabul nowadays Pays Logar Shamali Jalalabad Mazar-e-Sharif PAKISTAN A city on drip? Massive importations from Pakistan and other neighbouring countries Open markets High population increase

Productions in UA? What is produced? Home consumption crops Marketing gardening crops Ornamental crops Livestock How is it sold? Wholesalers Directly The flower market

The current situation Massive increase of the population (new eating habits (Pak, Iran)) =>Increasing difficulties to acces to land and water Intensification High demand for vegetables and flowers Diversification of incomes

What are the main factors of change? –New roads building –Disappearance of irrigation canals –City border’s extension –New master plan for the agricultural sector

Potential evolution patterns? less water demanding crops  Intensification and specialisation  Livestock Better production organisation: supplying, knowledge, planning, marketing Need of governmental guarantees: land, inputs

Does it make sense to keep agriculture in kabul city? Will Kabul urban agriculture resist to competition? Is it important to take into account the positive effect of UA in the city? Are the green houses a solution?

Evolution patterns of Kabul