Climate catastrophe in Afghanistan: Dorf Agli is fighting for survival!

Climate catastrophe in Afghanistan: Dorf Agli is fighting for survival!

Afghanistan continues to suffer significantly from the consequences of decades of war and the effects of climate change. The village of Agli is particularly affected, where living conditions are increasingly intensifying. The 140 families living there pose major challenges. According to reports, three flood victims from the village were already buried in May 2023.

The trip from Kabul to Baghlan, an adjacent region, takes about six hours because the streets are in a miserable condition. Claudia Peppmüller from Friedensdorf International, which has been active in Afghanistan since 1988, reports on the emergency of the population and the support measures that are taken. Together with Caritas Refugee Aid, the Friedensdorf financed 5000 chickens for needy families. Many people, including single mothers such as Rana, fight extreme poverty, to take care of their four children.

challenges and aid projects

In AGLI there is no power supply and no flowing water. The next health station is two hours away, which makes the situation more difficult. Of the 140 families, 70 have already left the village to look for a better life in Baghlan. The old Abdul Samad demands the urgent need for a new well to improve water supply. The Afghan red crescent has already distributed chickens to twelve single mothers.

The chicken project is expected to be expanded in 2025. So far, 500 families have already been supported in 60 villages. Plans for the renovation of the school and drilling a fountain in Agli are also in the works. According to the information, fresh water will flow into AGLI in a few weeks, while new chickens are delivered in spring. These measures are part of comprehensive auxiliary initiatives that aim to counteract the challenges in Afghanistan, which are intensified by climate change.

The situation in Afghanistan is further complicated by the far -reaching consequences of climate change. Since the middle of the 20th century, the average temperature has increased by 1.8 degrees Celsius, while global temperatures rose by 0.82 degrees Celsius. These environmental changes lead to an increase in droughts, from which experts expect stronger drought every year. Between 2017 and 2018, more inland refugees were reported on the basis of drought than through conflicts.

Currently millions of people suffer from hunger, and the world nutrition program needs $ 200 million for humanitarian aid annually. Despite the takeover of the Taliban, the movement allows humanitarian support, but international help depends heavily on the conditions that prevail in the country. Almost half of the 30 million inhabitants of Afghanistan live below the poverty line, and a third of the population suffers from serious nutritional uncertainty. Women are particularly affected because they bear the main responsibility for water and nutrition in many regions.

is expected that the number of inland refugees will increase. By 2050, up to five million people could be forced to migrate due to climate catastrophes, while at the same time conflicts are likely to increase resources such as land and water. Abdul Qahar Balkhi from the Taliban pointed out the urgent need for common efforts to cope with climate change, while international organizations want to try to continue their humanitarian work in the country to help the affected population.