Addressing an international forum in Beijing, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Sadr Azam Usmani, said on Thursday that if the world wants to reduce poverty, it is better to start from Afghanistan.
Usmani emphasized that Afghanistan is now a secure country and its agriculture, mining, industry, and trade are growing.
“Let’s invest in Afghanistan so that we can help not only Afghanistan but also one billion people in the world who are currently living in poverty,” he said at the 2024 Global Poverty Reduction and Development Forum.
Usmani also pointed to the ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, saying that 20 years ago, Afghanistan was known as the largest producer of opium, but the Islamic Emirate reduced poppy cultivation to zero and now farmers are cultivating halal crops.
“If you want agriculture to grow, come invest in Afghanistan’s agriculture sector and help Afghan farmers by implementing alternative livelihood programs, because poppy is a problem that affects not only Afghanistan but the whole world,” he said.
