What’s new?
The Taliban have launched a campaign against the country’s illegal narcotics industry, rounding up drug users, destroying opium poppy and cannabis fields, and arresting some traders. Driven by religious ideology, their initiative strikes at the backbone of Afghanistan’s informal economy and the livelihoods of the rural poor.
Why does it matter?
The ban has drastically reduced cultivation, but Afghan-produced drugs are still hitting the global market as dealers continue selling stockpiles and some farmers resist the ban. The Taliban’s crackdown has devastated the economic outlook for farmers and rural labourers with few other employment options. Women have been particularly affected.
What should be done?
The Taliban should be lenient with the poorest farmers as it implements the ban. The anti-drug initiative is in many foreign actors’ interest, creating opportunities for donors to support Afghanistan’s economic stabilisation. Licit crops will not offer sufficient employment, so the focus should be on job creation in non-farm industries.
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