Heat, water shortages hit women’s cucumber greenhouses in Jawzjan — Pajhwok

SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): Women in Shiberghan, the capital of northern Jawzjan province, who have created jobs and income opportunities through cucumber greenhouses, say extreme heat and water shortages have reduced this year’s harvest. They have called on the government and aid organisations to support the revival of their activities. Cucumber greenhouses provide jobs for 25 women Malika, 39, a resident of Shiberghan, told Pajhwok Afghan News that she had established a cucumber greenhouse in the Zair-i-Chinar area of the city about two years ago with 50,000 afghanis in funding and support from the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED). She said the greenhouse had provided employment for 25 women, who shared the income earned from cucumber sales. She added that they had enjoyed a good harvest in the first year, but this year’s crop had suffered because of extreme heat and water shortages. Meanwhile, Lailuma, 37, another woman involved in cucumber farming in the area, recalled that in previous years the harvest had been sufficient for families to keep some cucumbers for their own consumption and sell the remainder in the market. This year, however, the harvest had been poor, with most of the cucumber plants drying up. She said the income generated by the activity had played an important role in covering her family’s expenses. However, since her husband…