Leaving poppy behind: how UNODC’s new Afghan opium survey could affect vulnerable populations

Opium cultivation in Afghanistan has plummeted 95% since the Taliban’s ruling took effect. Many farmers who had turned to poppy cultivation out of desperation in the first place are now pushed back into poverty. The ban on opium cultivation has immediate humanitarian consequences for many vulnerable rural communities. In the long term, investments in finding suitable alternative livelihoods for farmers are needed.

Link to the original story: http://www.afghanistannews.net/news/274023114/leaving-poppy-behind—permanently-how-the-findings-from-unodc-new-afghan-opium-survey-could-affect-vulnerable-populations