Afghanistan: Hothousing Farah's Economy

Jan 17, 2018 | Khushal Zaland, Institute for War and Peace Reporting
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Farmers and officials in Farah say that the use of greenhouses is transforming their largely agricultural economy, with hopes that this could even provide a viable alternative to growing poppy. More than 11,000 people in the province are employed in the industry, of whom around ten per cent are women. This year alone, the province produced around 300,000 tonnes of tomatoes and cucumbers, of which 95 per cent had been sold in other provinces of Afghanistan or exported, Mateen explained. Greenhouses had proved particularly successful in central areas including the districts of Pusht Rod and Bala Buluk.