Taliban Announce Approval of Plans for Agricultural Development and Fish Farming

The office of the Taliban's deputy economic prime minister announced the approval of the "National Policy for the Development of the Agriculture and Livestock Sector" and a plan to expand the fish farming sector. These initiatives will be sent to Hibatullah Akhundzada's office for final approval.

The national agriculture and livestock policy focuses on mechanizing the sector, developing research and extension systems, expanding irrigation, improving water resource management and supporting private investment. Increasing citizens' access to high-quality agricultural and livestock products is listed as one of its main goals.

The Taliban's Economic Commission also approved the fish farming sector development plan. Under this plan, private sector investment will create around 7,700 small, medium and large fish farms across 6,500 hectares of land in various parts of the country.

Taliban officials stated that implementation could provide direct employment for about 50,000 people and indirect jobs for up to 250,000.

Agriculture remains the backbone of Afghanistan's economy, with a large portion of the population dependent on it. However, the sector has been severely impacted in recent years by war consequences, climate change including droughts and floods, and a sharp decline in international aid following the Taliban's return to power in 2021.

Aid organizations have repeatedly warned of chronic insufficient investment alongside rising food insecurity, leaving millions reliant on humanitarian assistance. The United Nations states that about three-quarters of Afghanistan's population faces livelihood insecurity, with early warning systems indicating that parts of the country may reach emergency hunger levels during winter.