How do potato storage cellars build resilience?

In Afghanistan, over 80% of livelihoods depend on agricultural production, making securing farming livelihoods an essential component of building resilience to shocks, particularly climatic shocks, that routinely disrupt rural communities’ ability to thrive and prosper. Due to Afghanistan’s diverse climate and geography, each province encounters differing challenges when it comes to improving the ability of its residents to earn an income and eat sufficient food. In Bamyan, a province with rich and fertile soil, the environment is ideal for cultivating high-value crops, especially potatoes, of which it is the leading producer in the country. However, simple barriers routinely disrupt crop yields and value chains, meaning the positive effects of such arable soil are rarely felt within communities. 

Reliance on a single crop such as potato without efficient storage methods can lead to overstocked local markets in harvest months, driving down demand and so causing farmers' incomes to decrease. The inability to store potatoes also meant that farmers couldn't hold onto them to sell at another point in the year, leading to significant wastage of crops. Recognising these challenges, Afghanaid sought to support local agricultural workers to develop storage infrastructure, therefore strengthening their incomes and ensuring a reliable stream of nutritious food in local markets to tackle food insecurity. 

The construction of storage facilities has proven to be indispensable in ensuring the preservation of the potato harvest, effectively preventing spoilage. Bamyan's farmers can now store their potatoes and sell them during the off-season, earning higher profits - the price of potatoes per kilogram increases three fold from summer to winter.

As part of our ongoing climate resilience project, the Afghanistan Resilience Consortium (ARC), which Afghanaid leads, has overseen the creation of 25 strategically situated potato storage facilities across both the districts of Bamyan and Yakawlang in Bamyan province. The storage facilities built by the ARC can hold up to 25,000 kilograms of crops.  

With the ARC, we built this storage cellar, it has stairs down to a room under the ground. We harvest our potatoes, and then multiple farmers in this village store their bags in the cellar. We label them clearly. It is very dark and cool in there, so the potatoes last 2-3 months.

Najibullah, village member

What other benefits does this bring?

Communal storage facilities such as this play a vital role in bringing communities together, as it relies on cooperation for its management and benefits. Around ten farmers in the area use a single potato storage facility, which is typically located on one farmer's land. In addition, the ARC provides these local farmers with supplementary tools, crops, and training to boost their productivity and enable them to utilise the storage facility effectively in the future. 

The process of building this storage also brought considerable benefits to the local community through cash-for-work schemes, employing both skilled and unskilled labourers from neighbouring communities to collaborate in improving their local area whilst earning a stable income. To complete the build, four skilled construction labourers were hired by Afghanaid for approximately ten days, with ten general labourers also employed for 30 days. Engaging in this work enables labourers to earn a much needed salary as Afghanistan’s economic and employment crisis continues, whilst building for the future.

The storage of potatoes, usually lasting for six months, requires careful temperature management, which is increasingly important given climate change’s evergrowing impacts on Afghan communities. By installing a thermometer inside the storage facility to monitor the temperature, farmers can ensure their yields are stored at the ideal temperature of 7.2°C. If the temperature inside the potato storage drops below 4°C, the farmer relies on local heaters. If the internal temperature of the storage exceeds 15°C at times, farmers use natural ventilation. Typically built as partially-underground, these storage cellars are able to stay naturally cool even in times of drought or soaring temperatures, ensuring they offer a sustainable pathway to farmers tackling climate change-induced temperature changes. Potato administrators have also received training on operation and ongoing use of this zero-energy storage, emphasising sustainable and consistent practices, and cementing the initiative's efficacy. 

In the province of Bamyan, where many resourceful women have been able to build strong livelihoods despite continued restrictions on their movement, female farmers, who can also play a crucial role as storage administrators, have been supported to thrive thanks to these potato storage cellars. Now able to earn a greater amount from potato yields, women involved in this activity can better provide for their household. Through learning new skills and gaining a stronger income through this increased role, rural women can also increase their status in their homes and play a bigger role in determining how household income is spent, breaking traditional gender norms and becoming an inspiration for other women in the communities.

Invest in change that lasts

Afghanistan’s farmers know how to tackle food insecurity and poverty in their local areas. By investing in their knowledge and in really simple but effective solution, you can enable rural communities to eat and sell more nutritious food and earn stronger incomes, all whilst increasing community resilience and cooperation in the face of climate change.

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