With grazing lands parched and veterinary care scarce, herders are seeing their flocks shrink – threatening a main source of income in a region long dependent on animal husbandry.

In the mountainous district of Ab Kamari District in Badghis Province, western Afghanistan, herders say what was once lush grazing land is now barren. According to local livestock owners, the past few seasons have brought little to no rain or snowfall – conditions that observers attribute to worsening drought and long-term climate change.

“There is no grass left in the mountains,” one livestock owner, Sirajuddin, told local media. He added that even when they purchase fodder, the supply runs out quickly. With natural pastures gone and costs rising, many herders say they are struggling to feed their animals.

This loss of grazing capacity reflects a broader environmental collapse. In Badghis, agriculture and animal husbandry remain the bedrock of the local economy – a reality common across the more rural parts of Afghanistan, where limited irrigation and a semi-arid climate make communities especially vulnerable to rainfall variability.

Rising Costs, Diminishing Returns

With natural fodder scarce, herders have turned to buying feed – but at steep prices. Some say that recent purchases of fodder, costing thousands of Afghanis, were quickly depleted, forcing them to return animals to inhospitable, dried-up terrain.

At the same time, the wider economic pressures caused by drought are pushing down the value of livestock. According to reports from aid agencies and media working in Badghis, households – many entirely dependent on livestock – have been forced to sell animals at drastically reduced prices, or even abandon them as they can no longer afford basic care.

One herder, Abdul Majid, described the season as devoid of “prosperity”: animals are being lost to hunger, illness and neglect, while existing stock fetches far less in local markets.

Lack of Veterinary Care Compounds the Crisis

Beyond feed shortages and harsh environmental conditions, herders report a critical shortage of veterinary services – especially as winter tightens its grip. Without access to veterinary care, animals that fall sick are often left untreated, a fate many do not survive.

One herder said many of their cows and sheep “fall sick and we cannot treat them – many die from the pain.”

This reduction in veterinary infrastructure, along with loss of grazing land, represents not merely a seasonal hardship – but a structural blow to what was once a stable, pastoral way of life in Badghis. Over time, lack of care and declining herd health erode not only productivity but also resilience to future environmental stress.

Long-Term Damage: Declines in Herd Size and Economic Security

Badghis was historically one of western Afghanistan’s livestock hubs – with mountain slopes and rangelands teeming with sheep, goats and cattle. But now, prolonged drought, climate pressure and scant support infrastructure have sharply eroded this tradition.

The crisis is not limited to a single district: across Badghis, as in other rural provinces, climate impacts on rangelands and pasture, combined with dwindling water supply and degraded soil, have made livestock farming increasingly precarious.

A recent study by researchers at the local agricultural institute documented a dramatic rise in animal-feed prices over the past decade – nearly sevenfold in some areas – while the prices farmers get for livestock and animal products increased by only about four times. The gap, they warn, threatens the viability of the livestock sector in a region already among the most under-developed in the country, especially considering the context: agriculture and pastoralism are the backbone of Badghis’ economy, and formal employment opportunities remain extremely limited.

A Humanitarian and Economic Emergency

The shrinking of livestock herds – once a source of income, food, and social stability – is beginning to have deeper social impacts. Families who used to rely on sale of animals for income now face rising poverty, food insecurity, and growing uncertainty about their future. Aid organizations working in the region warn that without urgent intervention, the long-term consequences could be catastrophic.

In Badghis, a staggering share of the population depends directly on livestock or rain-fed agriculture. As climate change sharpens seasonal extremes and kills off pastures, the livelihoods of entire communities are at risk.

Moreover, given that many of these households lack access to veterinary care, veterinary infrastructure, and affordable feed – the rebuilding of herds seems all but impossible this season.

What’s Needed: Aid, Infrastructure, and Rangeland Restoration

Experts and aid agencies have urged a combination of emergency support and long-term environmental management to address the crisis. Among the measures proposed are:

• Emergency fodder distribution or subsidised feed for herders unable to purchase expensive commercial fodder;
• Mobile veterinary services, to ensure that sick animals receive treatment – especially through winter months;
• Rangeland restoration and sustainable grazing management, including rotational grazing and limiting overgrazing – initiatives already piloted by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in parts of Badghis.
• Water resource development, possibly small-scale irrigation or better water storage, to reduce full dependence on erratic rainfall;
• Alternative livelihood support, to help herder communities diversify income beyond livestock — as a hedge against future climate shocks.

The Stakes for Badghis – and for Afghanistan

The plight of herders in Badghis underscores a growing national crisis: as climate change advances, the arid and semi-arid zones of Afghanistan are seeing rangeland collapse, livestock losses, and weakened rural economies. For provinces like Badghis – where formal employment is rare and economic diversification minimal – the loss of livestock livelihoods may push whole communities into deeper poverty or displacement.

Without prompt and coordinated action – drawing on humanitarian aid, environmental restoration, and development support – the centuries-old pastoral way of life in Badghis may soon become unsustainable.