Taliban Agriculture Ministry Calls for Expanded Cooperation with UNDP

Attaullah Amiri, the Taliban’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, has called for expanded cooperation in agriculture, irrigation, livelihood development, and infrastructure projects during his meeting with Stephen Rodriguez, head and representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Afghanistan.

The UNDP has announced that under livelihood alternative projects, chemical fertilizers have been distributed to two thousand farmers, greenhouses have been established, and market development for agricultural products has been facilitated. The organization also stated that, within the “Abadi” program, 270 infrastructure projects including irrigation canals, water capture systems, and other water facilities have been implemented across various regions of the country.

The Taliban’s agriculture minister expressed appreciation for the UNDP’s cooperation and emphasized that the ministry will continue working with development organizations to increase domestic production, support farmers and livestock holders, and reduce dependence on imports.

He also noted that tariffs on imports of certain agricultural products such as vegetables, fruits, and powdered milk have been increased to support domestic production—an action taken, according to Taliban officials, to strengthen local manufacturing.