I Met a Farmer in Balkh Who Can No Longer Afford to Plant His Land

Last week, I stood next to an old farmer in Balkh province. His land was dry. His hands were shaking. He looked at me and said: “Son, last year I borrowed money for seeds and fertilizer. This year, fertilizer costs three times more. I cannot pay. I will not plant.”

Farmers in Balkh are struggling with rising costs and a lack of support. The price of urea has jumped from 1,500 Afghanis to over 4,000 in just two years. International aid has stopped. The government has not stepped in with real help.

I am not writing this as an expert. I am writing this as someone who saw a grown man cry over a sack of fertilizer.

According to a recent report by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), 80% of Afghans depend on agriculture. If Balkh’s farmers fail, the whole country will feel the hunger.

We cannot watch from behind a screen while farmers bury their plows. Read more on this in my blog article.