Afghanistan ecological zones with cropping patterns

1. Cropping Patterns Prevailing in Afghanistan
‫الرحیم‬ ‫الرحمن‬ ‫هللا‬ ‫بسم‬

2. • Cropping pattern may be define as
• The distribution of the area of a farm to various
crops grow in any specified area, in an agro-climatic
zones.
• It may be a pattern of regular rotation of different
crops or of growing only one crop, year after year on
same area.
• Cropping pattern is related to general cropping
system depending upon the climatic factors.
Cropping Pattern

3. • Crop rotation refers to growing different crops in
succession on a piece of land in a specific period of time
with an objective to get maximum profit from least
investment with impairing the soil fertility.
• Crop rotation to reduce weeds, diseases and insects, increase
soil productivity and minimize soil erosion.
• Farmers in Afghanistan already practice crop rotation
e.g. potato, wheat and clover rotation in Bamyan Province.
Crop Rotation

4. Introduction
• Afghanistan is located within South
Asia and Central Asia
• It is a landlock country which
surrounded by Pakistan, Iran,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan,
and China
• Population of Afghanistan is
estimated around 32.5 million
• Its territory covers 655,000
square kilometers

5. Major cultivated crops in Afghanistan
• The major perennial and annual crops cultivated in
Afghanistan are wheat, barley, maize, rice, grape, cotton,
melon, potato, water melon, almond, apple, pomegranate,
apricot, onion, citrus, saffron, olive, peach, plum and walnuts.
• The major crops are selected based on the area of the crop
under cultivation and importance or having higher economic
value.
• Wheat is a culturally significant crop in Afghanistan and a
staple food for all Afghans.

6. Wheat
• Wheat is cultivating in every province primarily for self-consumption.
• Production of wheat crop at 5.0 million metric tons (2015/2016, CCSAA ).
• Harvested area is estimated at 2.55 million hectares.
• Yield is estimated at 1.96 metric tons per hectare.
Varieties
Baghlan-09, Drokhshan-08, Darulaman-07, Ariana-07, Muqawim-09, Solh-
02, Gul-96, Lalmi-2,Amu-99, Dayma-96, Rana-96, Lalmi-3, Pamir-94, PBW-154, Herat-
99, Roshan-96, Lalmi-1,Mazar-99,Ghori-96,Inqlab-91, Bakhtawar-92, Bakhtari,
Khawja Kafter, Qadak, Safid Amricaee, Mesri-1, Tokhm Islah Shoda, Yak Bar Sad e
Kondozi, Qezel sar,Tanzemi, Surkha, Seyah Barot,Tokhm Zarati, Zard Dana.
Conti….
Irrigated Rainfed
Area (m ha) 1.2 1.3
Yield (t/ha) 3.0 1.1
Production (m t) 3.5 1.5
From Agriculture prospects reports, MAIL May 2012

7. Rice
After wheat, rice is the most important staple crop in Afghanistan.
• Most of the rice is growing in the North Eastern provinces, including
Baghlan, Kunduz, Takhar, Laghman, Nangarhar, Balkh and Kunar.
• In 2011-2012, around 210,000 hectares of rice were planted with a
total production of 449,400 tones.
• The average yield was 2.14 ton/ha or 0.43 ton/jerib.
Varieties
Afghan-98, Baghlan98, Basmati 385, JP 5 and Swat 2.
Conti….

8. Maize is the third most important cereal crop in Afghanistan
Production at 2012 (310,000 ton from 141,000 ha) at a relatively average yield 2.64
t/ha (CIMMYT, FAO)
Varieties
Eslah Shodeh Zeraati, ,Francawi, Garma, Rampur (aka Zudras), Safid, Sarhad-
1, Sarhad-2, Sultan Yellow, Watani, White Maize
Conti….

10. Agro-climatic zone of Afghanistan
Afghanistan has divided into seven agro-climatic zones
based on physiography, soils, geological formation,
Climate, cropping patterns, and development of irrigation
and natural resources for agricultural planning and
developing future strategies.
The classification of agro-climatic zones was published in the
"Beekeeping survey report (2014, Ministry of Agriculture,
Irrigation and Livestock(MAIL).

12. The agro-climatic zones with provinces are depicted in below

13. No.
Name of the agro-climatic zones Provinces
1
Central agro-climatic zone (CACZ) Kabul, Kapisa, Parwan, Panjsher, Bamyan,
Ghazni and Wardak (7)
2
Eastern agro-climatic zone (EACZ) Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar, Nuristan (4)
3
Northern agro-climatic zone (NACZ) Balkh, Faryab, Jawzjan, Samangan and Sar-e-
pul (5)
4
North-East agro-climatic zone (NEACZ) Takhar, Baghlan, Badakhshan, Kunduz,(4)
5
Southern agro-climatic zone (SACZ) Khost, Logar, Paktika and Paktia (4)
6
South-West agro-climatic zone (SWACZ) Daykundi, Helmand, Kandahar, Urozgan and
Zabul (5)
7
Western agro-climatic zone (WACZ) Nimroz, Badghis, Farah, Ghor and Herat(5)
Total 32

14. Seasonality of the crops
Crop Sowing Irrigation Fertilization Pest Control Harvesting
Bean April
May, Jun, Jul,
Aug
May,
Aug
Jun, Jul, May, Jun, Jul Sept
Almond Mar
May, Jun, Jul,
Aug, Sep
May, Jun, May, Jun, Aug
Apple April
May, Jun, Jul,
Aug, Sep
May, Jun, May, Jun, Jul Oct
Apricot April
May, Jun, Jul,
Aug, Sep
April, Jun May, Jun, Aug
Barley Oct, Nov
Mar, April,
May, Jun
Mar, April, May April, May, Jun Jul, Aug
Bean (Spring) May Jun, Jul Jun, Jul Jun, Jul Aug
Bean (Summer) Jul, Aug Aug, Sep, Oct Aug Aug, Sep Nov, Dec
Cherry April
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct
Apr, Jun Apr, May, Jun Jul, Aug
Cotton Apr, May
May, Jun, Jul,
Aug, Sept
Jun, Jul, Aug Jun, Jul, Aug Oct, Nov
Cucumber Mar, Apr
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul
May, Jun May, Jun Jun, Aug
Grape Mar, April
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug, Sept
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul
Jul,
Oct
Aug, Sep,
Kidney Bean Jul, Aug, Sept
Aug, Sept, Oct,
Nov
Aug, Sept, Oct
Jul, Aug, Sept,
Oct
Sept, Oct, Nov,
Dec, Jan
The seasonality of the crops in Afghanistan is given in Table.
Majority of the crops are sowing in spring and summer.
Seasonality of the crops

15. Maize Jul, Aug, Jul, Aug, Sept Jul, Aug, Sept Jul, Aug, Sept Oct, Nov, Dec
Melon Mar, April Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Apr, May, Jun Jul, Aug, Sept
Onion Mar, April Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug, Sept
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul
Aug, Sept, Oct,
Nov
Pea (Spring) Mar Apr, May, Jun Apr, May, Jun Apr, May, Jun Jun
Pea (Summer) Jul Aug, Sept, Oct,
Nov
Aug, Sept Aug, Sept Oct, Nov
Plum April Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Jul, Aug, Sept
Pomegranate April, May Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Sept, Oct
Potato (Spring) Feb, Mar, Apr,
May
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Sept, Oct
Rice Jun, Jul, Aug Jun, Jul, Aug,
Sept, Oct
Jul, Aug, Sept Jul, Aug, Sept Oct, Nov
Soybean Jun, Jul, Aug Jul, Aug, Sept,
Oct
Jul, Aug, Sept Jul, Aug, Sept Sep, Oct, Nov
Tomato Apr, May Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug, Sept
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Apr, May, Jun,
Jul, Aug
Sep, Oct
Turnip Aug Aug, Sept, Oct,
Nov
Aug, Sept, Oct Aug, Sept, Oct Dec
Water Melon Mar, Apr Apr, May, Jun,
Jul
Apr, May, Jun Apr, May, Jun,
Jul
Jul, Aug, Sept
Wheat Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun Apr, May, Jun Apr, May, Jun Jun, Jul
Seasonality of the crops
Crop Sowing Irrigation Fertilization Pest Control Harvesting

16. The Central Agro-Climatic Zone (CACZ) is a mountainous area and
occupies 66,065.19 sq. km. from a total 655,000 sq. km. area of
Afghanistan.
• CACZ is ideal for producing cereal crops, fruits, and vegetables.
• Wheat is the main crop cultivated in the CACZ.
• It covers more cultivable land than any other crop.
• Ghazni and Bamyan farmers cultivate wheat as a major crop.
• Wardak is famous for producing apples
The other main crops cultivated in CACZ are maize, barley, grape,
apricot, peach, pomegranate, almond, and potato.
1. Central Agro-Climatic Zone (CACZ)

17. 2. Eastern Agro-Climatic Zone
The Eastern Agro-Climatic Zone (EACZ) occupies
25067.75 sq. km. from a total area of Afghanistan.
• It consists of the four provinces Kunar, Laghman,
Nangarhar, and Nuristan.
• EACZ is ideal for producing cereal crops, fruits,
and vegetables.
• Wheat is the main crop covering more
cultivable land than other crops.
The major crop for Nangarhar and Kunar farmers is
wheat.
The other main crops cultivated in EACZ are wheat,
rice, maize, barley, citrus, peach, olive, walnuts,
onion, and potato.

18. 3. Northern Agro-Climatic Zone
It consists of the five provinces, they are Faryab,
Balkh, Jawzjan, Samangan, and Sar-e-pul.
• The NACZ is ideal for producing cereal crops,
fruits, and vegetables.
• Wheat is the main crop cultivated in NACZ
covering more cultivable land than other crops.
The other main crops cultivated in NACZ are maize,
barley, rice, grape, melon, cotton, pomegranate,
almond, and onion.

19. 4. North-Eastern Agro-Climatic Zone
North-Eastern Agro-Climatic Zone (NEACZ)
is a mountainous area.
 It consists of the four provinces, they are
Badakhshan, Baghlan, Kunduz and
Takhar.
• Wheat is the major crop cultivated in
NEACZ.
• Rice and barley crops are other major
crops.

20. 5. Southern Agro-Climatic Zone
Southern Agro-Climatic Zone (SACZ) occupies 32876.33
sq. km. from a total area of Afghanistan.
• SACZ consists of the four provinces: Khost, Logar,
Paktika and Paktya.
• The Southern agro-climatic zone is ideal for
producing cereal crops, fruits, and vegetables.
• Wheat is the main crop cultivated in the Southern
agro-climatic zone covering more cultivable land
than other crops.
• The other main crops cultivated in SACZ are maize,
barley, apple, grape, onion, plum, apricot, almond,
and potato.

21. 6. South-Western Agro-Climatic Zone
South-Western agro-climatic zone (SWACZ)
occupies 157,756.83 sq. km. from a total 655,000 sq.
km. area of Afghanistan
It consists of the five provinces Daykundi, Uruzgan,
Kandahar, Zabul and Helmand.
• The SWACZ is ideal for producing cereal crops,
fruits, and vegetables.
• Wheat is the main crop cultivated in SWACZ
covering more cultivable land than other crops.
• The other main crops cultivated in SWACZ are
maize, barley, melon, grape, pomegranate, apricot,
water melon, almond, and cotton.

22. 7. Western Agro-Climatic Zone
Western agro-climatic zone (WACZ) occupies
201,757.33 sq. km. from a total 655,000 sq.
km. area of Afghanistan.
It consists of the five provinces, they are
Badghis, Ghor, Farah, Herat, and Nimroz.
Wheat and grapes are major crops in WACZ.
The other major crops are barley and saffron.

26. Wheat, maize, barley and rice are the main crops cultivated in the most of the
zones covering arable area.
Grapes and pomegranates are the major fruits in all the zones based on the
coverage area.
Potato and onion are the major vegetable crops grown in all zones.
Summery

27. ‫پاملرنې‬ ‫د‬
‫مننه‬ ‫مو‬ ‫څخه‬