Oil bearing rose (Rosa damascena) Production in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan: A Sustainable Alternative to Opium poppy Cultivation

Abdulsaboor Dawlatzai; Ryan Qasimullah

doi:10.56027/JOASD032025

Auteurs-es

Abdulsaboor Dawlatzai Department of Horticulture, Agriculture faculty, Nangarhar University- Daronta, Jalalabad, Afghanistan
Ryan Qasimullah

DOI :

https://doi.org/10.56027/JOASD032025

Mots-clés :

Opium Reduction Strategies, Rosa damascena, Agricultural Sustainability, Socio-economic Development

Résumé

Afghanistan, particularly Nangarhar Province, has grappled with the complicate nature of opium poppy cultivation, influenced by an intricate combination of historical, socio-economic, and geopolitical factors. Opium, serving as the main source of income for many farmers in some provinces of Afghanistan, lies at the core of the country's challenges in state building, governance, security, and development. This study explores a compelling alternative, the cultivation of oil-bearing rose, specifically Rosa damascena, as a sustainable and ethical substitute to opium poppy. The analysis of various crop types reveals significant profit variations. In terms of net profits, oil-bearing rose claim the top position, followed by poppy, potatoes, onions, and wheat. When considering the benefit-cost ratio, oil-bearing roses lead at 4.54, followed by onions at 3.34, poppy at 3.13, potatoes at 2.88, and wheat at 2.89. Through a meticulous cost and profitability analysis, this study demonstrates that oil rose cultivation offers not only a financially viable option, but also outperforms opium poppy in net profitability. This paper with recommendations collectively pave the way for a transition towards a brighter, more prosperous, and sustainable future for Nangarhar Province, by addressing the multifaceted challenges associated with opium poppy farming while fostering an environment of positive change and development.

Références

ADP/E. (2009). Afghanistan—Alternative Development Program/Eastern Region (ADP/E). Retrieved from DAI: https://www.dai.com/our-work/projects/afghanistan-alternative-development-program-eastern-region-adpe

Arogya, K., Suraj, R., Xiao, H.T. (2024). Mapping opium poppy cultivation: Socioeconomic insights from satellite imagery. ACM J. Comput. Sustain. Soc.19 , 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1145/3648435 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3648435

Asad, A. Z., Harris, R. (2019). The politics and economics of drug production on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Ashgate Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315198934 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315198934

Barnes, S. (2022). The history of the world in 100 plants. Simon and Schuster.

Bauer, R. (2019). The costs and benefits of poppy cultivation. In The Peasant Production of Opium in Nineteenth-Century India (pp. 132-162). Brill. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004385184_006

Bolka, V. (2005). Afghanistan: The labyrinth of violence. Journal of International Relations and Development, 8(1), 92–95. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jird.1800041 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jird.1800041

Byrd, W. A. (2009). Responding to the challenge of afghanistan’ s opium economy: Development lessons and policy implications. In Innocent Bystanders: Developing Countries and the War on Drugs. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-4545

Chaon, A. (2018). Guns and roses: Afghan farmers enjoy sweet smell of success. Retrieved from phys.org: https://phys.org/news/2018-07-guns-roses-afghan-farmers-sweet.html

Cohen, P. T. (2009). The post-opium scenario and rubber in northern Laos: Alternative Western and Chinese models of development. International Journal of Drug Policy, 20(5), 424–430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2008.12.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2008.12.005

Ersan, R., Başayiğit, L. (2022). Ecological modelling of potential Isparta Rosa areas (Rosa damascena Mill.). Industrial Crops and Products, 176(114427), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.114427 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.114427

Evered, Kyle T. (2011). The opium poppy in Turkey: Alternative perspectives on a controversial crop. FOCUS on Geography 54(1): 1-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1949-8535.2010.00020.x

Fereidani, B. M., Üçtuğ, F. G. (2023). Life cycle assessment of rose oil and rose water production: a case study in Iran. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 20(4), 3831-3848. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-023-04821-z

Gibb, A. (2015) Provincial reconstruction teams in afghanistan: a case study of militaryled development. Department of Leader Development and Research, United States Naval Academy

Goodhand, J. (2005). Frontiers and wars: The opium economy in Afghanistan. Journal of Agrarian Change, 5(2), 191–216. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0366.2005.00099.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0366.2005.00099.x

Gotev. (2018). Roses instead of opium: Afghan farmers enjoy sweet smell of success. Retrieved from eurative: https://www.euractiv.com/section/development-policy/news/roses-instead-of-opium-afghan-farmers-enjoy-sweet-smell-of-success/

Gulf Research Meeting (2021). Provincial profile for Nangarhar. (Regional Rural Economic Regeneration Strategies (RRERS)) Retrieved 2023, from https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1048565/1222_1197554805_nangarhar-provincial-profile.pdf

Gutiérrez-Sanín, Francisco. (2021).Tough tradeoffs: coca crops and agrarian alternative in Colombia. International Journal of Drug Policy 89, doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103156 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103156

Gul, M., Kazaz, S., Baydar, H., Sirikci, B. S. (2015). A Study about technical, economical situation, problems and improvement of oil rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) in Turkey. Journal of Essential Oil-Bearing Plants, 18(3), 613–626. https://doi.org/10.1080/0972060X.2014.998723 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0972060X.2014.998723

Holm, A. S. (2005). Saffron - an alternative to opium cultivation in western Afghanistan. Retrieved from reliefweb: https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/saffron-alternative-opium-cultivation-western-afghanistan

Iwata, H., Kato, T., Ohno, S. (2000). Triparental origin of Damask roses. Gene, 259(1–2), 53–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1119(00)00487-XJames A.P. (2012). The opium trade and patterns of terrorism in the provinces of afghanistan: An empirical analysis, Terrorism and Political Violence, 24:2, 213-234 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1119(00)00487-X

Izgi, M. N. (2022). Effect of different harvest dates to essential oil components of oil-bearing rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) in Mardin. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants, 25(2), 250–261. https://doi.org/10.1080/0972060X.2022.2058330 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0972060X.2022.2058330

Kazaz, S., Baydar, H., Erbas, S. (2009). Variations in chemical compositions of Rosa damascena Mill, and Rosa canina L. Fruits. Czech Journal of Food Sciences, 27(3), 178–184. https://doi.org/10.17221/5/2009-cjfs DOI: https://doi.org/10.17221/5/2009-CJFS

Kienberger, S., Spiekermann, R., Tiede, D., Zeiler, I., Bussink, C. (2017). Spatial risk assessment of opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan: integrating environmental and socio-economic drivers. International Journal of Digital Earth, 10(7), 719–736. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2016.1250828 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2016.1250828

Mahboubi, M. (2015). Rosa damascena as holy ancient herb with novel applications. J Tradit Complement Med. 6(1):10-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2015.09.005. PMID: 26870673; PMCID: PMC4737971. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2015.09.005

Mansfield, A. (2020). Trying to be all things to all people: Alternative development in afghanistan. EastWest Institute. DOI:10.1163/9789004440494_006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/poldev.3751

Mileva, M., Ilieva, Y., Jovtchev, G., Gateva, S., Zaharieva, M.M., Georgieva, A., Dimitrova, L., Dobreva, A., Angelova, T., Vilhelmova-Ilieva, N. (2021). Rose flowers—a delicate perfume or a natural healer? Biomolecules. 11, 127. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11010127 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11010127

Mollafilabi, A., Aslami, M.H. (2020). Replacement of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) with Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) and its socioeconomic impact in Afghanistan. In: Hirich, A., Choukr-Allah, R., Ragab, R. (eds) Emerging Research in Alternative Crops. Environment & Policy, vol 58. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90472-6_16 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90472-6_16

Lone, S., & Cachia, R. (2021). The political economy of opium reduction in Myanmar: The case for a new ‘alternative development’ paradigm led by and for opium poppy farmers. Journal of Peasant Studies, 48(3), 586–606. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2020.1860027 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2020.1860027

Özkan, G., Saǧdiç, O., Baydar, N. G., Baydar, H. (2004). Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Rosa damascena flower extracts. Food Science and Technology International, 10(4), 277–281. https://doi.org/10.1177/1082013204045882 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1082013204045882

Palmisano. G.P. A. L., (2007). Afghanistan how much of the past in the new future. In Institute of International Sociology – Gorizia I.U.I.E.S. (Issue 8).

Pain, A. (2023). Between necessity and compulsion: opium poppy cultivation and the exigencies of survival in Badakhshan, Afghanistan. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2023.2216145 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2023.2216145

Peavey, M., Goodwin, I., McClymont, L. (2020). The effects of canopy height and bud light exposure on the early stages of flower development in prunus persica (L.) batsch. Plants, 9(9), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091073 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091073

Safi, L., Mujeeb, M., Sahak, K., Mushwani, H., Hashmi, S. K. (2024). Climate change impacts and threats on basic livelihood resources, food security and social stability in Afghanistan. GeoJournal, 89(2), 85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-024-11077-8

Singh, Krishna M. (2008). An assessment of technology transfer system in afghanistan: The case of balkh and nangarhar provinces. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2242308 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2242308 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2242308

Sokhibov, A. (2014). Economic and political restraints for reducing the drug economy in afghanistan. Sicherheit und frieden (S+F) / security and peace, 32(3), 193–200. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24234230 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5771/0175-274x-2014-3-193

Steinberg, J. (1995). The golden crescent heroin connection. Executive Intelligence Review, 22(41), 16–17.

UNDP. (2004). Afghan rose oil industry means dollars and scents. Retrieved from reliefweb: https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/afghan-rose-oil-industry-means-dollars-and-scents

UNODC. (2002). Afghanistan Opium Survey 2002. https://www.unodc.org/pdf/afg/afg_opium_survey_2002.pdf

UNODC. (2015). Afghanistan opium survey 2015 - executive summary. https://www.unodc.org/documents/crop-monitoring/Afghanistan/Afg_Executive_summary_2015_final.pdf

UNODC. (2019). Opium poppy cultivation and sustainable development in Shan State, Myanmar 2019. In UNODC research.

UNODC Research Brief. (2022). Opium Cultivation in Afghanistan. https://www.unodc.org/documents/crop-monitoring/Afghanistan/Opium_cultivation_Afghanistan_2022.pdf

Vikrant P. K., Anand B.R., Vishal R.S. (2022). Review of the rose essential oil extraction by hydrodistillation: An investigation for the optimum operating condition for maximum yield, Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 29,100783, ISSN 2352-5541, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2022.100783. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2022.100783

Wegerich, K. Morgan, A. (2009). Water strategy meets local reality. In Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. http://www.aamorgan.com/Water.pdf

Widrlechner, M. P. (1981). History and utilization of Rosa damascena. Economic Botany, 35(1), 42–58. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02859214

World Bank. (2014). Islamic Republic of Afghanistan agriculture sector review. In WORLD BANK GROUP.

Zion. (2023). The global Cosmetic Products Market. Retrieved from zionmarketresearch: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/cosmetic-products-market