UNODC: Promotes Saffron and Damask Rose as Alternatives to Poppy in Afghanistan

UNODC: Promotes Saffron and Damask Rose as Alternatives to Poppy in Afghanistan

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says it is promoting saffron and Damask rose as alternative crops to poppy in Afghanistan.

The agency said in a post on X on Monday, September 14 (23 Sunbula/Shar), that the program is currently being implemented in Nangarhar and Herat provinces with financial support from the Italian government.

UNODC said the cultivation and processing of Damask rose and saffron are being promoted among farmers in these provinces as alternatives to poppy cultivation.

Farmers are also being trained in agricultural and livestock-related skills, including wool spinning, silk weaving and vegetable processing.

The cultivation, production and trade of narcotics, including poppy, from which opium is produced, were prohibited in Afghanistan during the former republic. However, poppy cultivation continued in areas outside the government’s control and in areas controlled by the Taliban.

After returning to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban announced in 2022 that the cultivation, production and trade of narcotics were prohibited.

The United Nations says the Taliban’s ban has reduced poppy cultivation in Afghanistan by up to 95 percent. However, the lack of alternative livelihoods for farmers and the profitability of narcotics for traders remain obstacles to completely eliminating drug-producing farms.