Poppy cultivation has plummeted in Afghanistan, since farming the crop was banned by the Taliban last year.
Poppies can be used to make the drug opium.
According to the United Nations the area under poppy cultivation in 2023 was 10 800 hectares, a sharp reduction from the 233 000 hectares which had been under poppy cultivation the previous year.
Overall supply also dropped by 95%.
Most poppy farmers have switched to cultivating wheat but this earns far less income for farmers than poppies.
In a statement, the UN said: ‘Over the coming months Afghanistan is in dire need of strong investment in sustainable livelihoods to provide Afghan farmers with opportunities away from opium. This presents a real opportunity to build toward long-term results against the illicit opium market and the damage it causes both locally and globally.’
Image: Poppy fields of the Maiwand District, Afghanistan, https://jamesnudes.getarchive.net/amp/media/poppy-fields-of-the-maiwand-district-afghanistan-4221d1