Agriculture is crucial for the national economy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Adoption of new strategies for agriculture monitoring, rural land use planning, and management are urgently required to reduce hunger and poverty and to assure sustainable food and feed production for future generations. The availability of reliable information on natural resources and agriculture for its monitoring and analysis is indispensable to the development and implementation of such strategies. For this purpose the project “Strengthening Afghanistan Institutions’ Capacity for the Assessment of Agriculture Production and Scenario Development” (GCP/AFG/087/EC), funded by the European Union (EU), is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Within the context of this project, FAO and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) are developing a National Agro-Ecological Zoning activity (NAEZ) in Afghanistan. This Atlas is the first of two books and provides the collected information and maps of the country based on the agro-climatic Indicators.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2023 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2020 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.

This report shares an analysis of the effects of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in the agri-food system in Afghanistan. It analyses the results of a field assessment conducted between 7 and 26 February 2021. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is implementing a project to contribute to data collection and analysis linked to COVID-19 to inform evidence-based programming in selected countries. The objective is to assess the effects of COVID-19 in the agri-food system, which includes crops, livestock and fishing, food supply, livelihoods, and food security of the rural population at the national level. Information is collected from primary sources of the production process: producer households, traders or marketers, inputs suppliers, extension officers, and key informants. A first-round of data collection was conducted in 2020, followed by a first report published in March 2021. A third-round is planned before the end of 2021.

The Harmonized World Soil Database version 2.0 (HWSD v2.0) is a unique global soil inventory providing information on the morphological, chemical and physical properties of soils at approximately 1 km resolution. Its main objective is to be useful for modelers and to serve as a basis for prospective studies on agroecological zoning, food security and the impacts of climate change. HWSD v2.0 also serves an educational function, illustrating the geographical distribution of soils as well as their properties globally. HWSD v2.0 is easily accessible and user-friendly.

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and FAO's Global Soil Partnership collaborated with experts from across Asia and other regions to produce the first-ever Soil Atlas of Asia. The aim of the Atlas is to raise awareness about the significance of soil to life in Asia among a wide range of audiences, including the general public, decision makers, politicians, teachers, and scientists from other disciplines. The Atlas comprises a series of annotated maps that demonstrate the diversity of soil characteristics across Asia in an easy-to-understand manner. It also explains how soils are formed, the key factors that shape soil characteristics, and why these vary across the continent. Moreover, the Atlas emphasizes the role of soils in shaping our daily lives and highlights the growing pressures on soils resulting from urban expansion, inappropriate land management, pollution, increased demand for food, and climate change. The Atlas encourages people to understand how their actions can help protect and restore soils while reducing degradation processes.

Emerging from decades of war in 2002, Afghanistan and its rich agricultural history were in need of urgent repair and reinvigoration. Since that time, FAO has been operating in the country to rehabiliate irrigation infrastructure, build new dairy and wheat seed industries, improve livestock health, help smallholders diversify their crops and add higher-value products, halt deforestation and help the country adapt to climate change. This report presents highlights from the work carried out over the past 15 years, featuring stories and testimonials from satisfied FAO beneficiairies. It is organized to reflect the priorities that the Government of Afghanistan has outlined in its current agricultural development plan, while also showing how FAO's work cuts across many sectors of agriculture. The report demonstrates that, despite some setbacks, FAO has brought increased prosperity, sustainability and self-reliance to the farmers, pastoralists and farm product processors of Afghanistan.