Drought in Afghanistan

There have been several seasons of drought in Afghanistan in recent decades. According to an analysis of climate and drought records Asia Development Bank, localized droughts have a periodicity of three to five years, and droughts covering large areas recur every 9-11 years. South and central regions are more affected from July through September.

Afghanistan began experiencing unusual droughts starting in 1995, right after the Taliban emerged. It remained this way until heavy snow fell in the 2002–03 winter season, after the new Karzai administration took over. This relief did not last long as the country began to see more droughts in the coming years.

Drought and conflict have created internally displaced populations living in extremely poor conditions. Many communities depend on meager incomes from migrating outside their farmlands.[1] Inadequate rains and snowfall during 2008 to 2010 in parts of Afghanistan caused significant failure of the rain-fed crops in the country's six provinces: Herat, Jowzjan, Balkh, Badghis, Faryab and Sar-e Pol. The situation affected the most vulnerable populations and their access to food and water, reducing communities' health and nutrition status.[1] In 2012, Afghanistan's long drought ended due to heavy snow.[2]