In a press conference held at the Government Media and Information Center, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) presented a report detailing the ministry’s achievements over the past year.
According to the ministry, significant progress has been made in several areas, including the mechanization of the agriculture and livestock sectors, the protection and development of natural resources, the management of water resources from reservoirs to farms, and land management affairs.
Among the key achievements of the ministry are the disbursement of 1.3 billion AFN from the Ministry’s Agriculture Development Fund to farmers, livestock breeders, and the private sector to support the country’s agriculture and livestock industries.
In addition, 33,000 metric tons of improved wheat seed and 54,000 metric tons of chemical fertilizers were distributed to 660,000 farmers.
Over the past year, the ministry, in collaboration with partner organizations, implemented 271 projects across the agriculture, irrigation, and livestock sectors, with a total value of $300 million.
According to ministry officials, five cold storage facilities with a combined capacity of approximately 1,190 metric tons were constructed in Maidan Wardak, Kabul, and Laghman, along with 11 fruit-drying facilities in various provinces. Moreover, more than 1,500 demonstration plots were established to promote modern agricultural techniques, and 80,000 hectares of land were safeguarded against the spread of epidemic pests.
The ministry has also taken steps to promote the agriculture and livestock sectors and facilitate market access for the country’s products by organizing major agricultural exhibitions during the spring and autumn seasons.
Furthermore, the ministry implemented irrigation projects across 11 provinces, with a total investment of 50 million AFN, which will irrigate 6,780 hectares of land. The construction of 138 check dams in 10 provinces to enhance groundwater resources is also nearing completion.
Furthermore, the ministry has achieved notable advancements in the livestock sector. These include the artificial insemination of 300,000 cows to improve dairy breeds, the vaccination of over 16 million animals, and the treatment of over 9 million animals in various provinces.
The ministry also distributed dairy collection and processing equipment in 34 provinces, established small-scale poultry, cattle, and goat farms to bolster household economy, issued 272 new veterinary clinic licenses, renewed 2,151 existing clinic licenses, and expanded the number of poultry farms from 1,500 to 3,500.
In addition, 1.7 million hectares of forests and 30 million hectares of pastures across 34 provinces were protected and managed, and 125,200 saplings were planted as part of forest restoration efforts.
Over 690,000 fruit and non-fruit saplings were distributed over the past year, and a total of 82 million saplings have been planted nationwide over the past three years through reforestation campaigns.
The ministry also reported significant achievements in land management, including the registration of 1.7 million acres of reclaimed state-owned land in the national land bank, the leasing of 14,312 acres for agricultural, industrial, and commercial purposes, the surveying of 1 acre of state land and pasture in 34 provinces, and the demarcation of airfield areas in the provinces of Khost, Paktika, Zabul, Ghazni, Bamyan, and Jaghori district.
To support public infrastructure projects, the ministry conducted cadastral surveys and completed the clearance of key sites, including the Tori Dam, Kherwar Dam, Qosh Tepa Canal, Mes Aynak, and Amu River oil fields.
The ministry also finalized the registration of ownership rights, land valuation, and expropriation for major infrastructure projects, including the Khawaf-Herat railway, CASA-1000 power transmission line, and 220kV and 500kV power projects in Herat, Jawzjan, Laghman, Baghlan, Ghazni, and Faryab, as well as the second phase of the Kabul-Logar road.
According to the ministry, a five-year strategic plan has been developed, and relevant legislative documents, including operational procedures for various sectors, have been finalized.
