MAIDAN SHAR, Afghanistan, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- In the sturdy stillness of Wardak Province, just 35 km west of Kabul, an unrelenting specter has replaced the echoes of two decades of war. Where U.S. and NATO troops once scarred the land with bombardments and raids, a fragile peace now blankets the valleys.
Yet beneath this quiet, a slow and merciless enemy spreads -- drought. It parches orchards, stifles harvests, and erodes the promise of self-sufficiency. For farmers who have endured years of conflict, the hope of transforming hardship into prosperity remains distant, as the dry winds whisper of renewed struggle.
Ziauddin, a veteran farmer, stands amid the skeletal branches of his orchard, the crimson fruit of past seasons now only a memory. "Drought has caused great damage; there is no water," he said.
"We irrigate our orchards using deep wells, but it's very costly," he told Xinhua.
A lifelong cultivator, Ziauddin dreams of expanding his groves and planting new saplings to secure his family's future. Yet every plan collides with the same obstacle -- water scarcity. "If the water problem were solved, we could plant more trees," he says, a flicker of hope lighting his words.
But the drought persists. "Because of water shortages, we cannot plant additional saplings," he added. Each year, his trees wither; their leaves curl like forgotten prayers, their yields shrink, and his earnings plummet.
The drought's reach extends beyond orchard owners to the laborers who form Wardak's agricultural backbone. Tajuddin, a seasonal worker, migrates each year for three months to find harvest work to feed his family.
"There's a severe lack of water here," he said, gesturing toward the barren fields. "Even the deep wells for drinking water have dried up."
With smaller harvests come fewer workdays and thinner wages. "Drought affects both us and the orchard owners," Tajuddin explains. "If the harvest is good -- if there's water -- we benefit too, because that's when we can work."
Another worker, Ziyarmal, shoulders the same burden. Despite holding a university degree, he labors daily in the orchards to support his family of six amid widespread unemployment. "The drought has severely affected orchards and fields," he told Xinhua. "Crops don't ripen properly. Costs are high, wells have dried up, and there's been no rain."
Beyond the lack of rain, structural problems compound the farmers' suffering. The absence of cold storage facilities forces them to sell produce prematurely, driving prices down. Poor marketing channels, pest infestations, and a shortage of agricultural training programs deepen their vulnerability.
Still, resilience endures. Farmers like Ziauddin hold onto hope -- calling for efforts to manage water resources, introduce modern irrigation, and revive sustainable farming practices.
As Afghanistan navigates the uncertain terrain of post-conflict recovery, the drought stands as a stark reminder: peace alone cannot nourish the land. Without timely support -- from advanced irrigation systems to better storage and education -- scarcity's shadow could dim the fragile hope now flickering across Wardak's serene fields. ■