Afghanistan's Opium Economy, 2005

Arte/SWR

About a third of the world's opium production comes from Afghanistan. The coveted raw opium, which is extracted from the seed-pods of the poppy is the raw material for heroin production. Officially, poppy farming is illegal, but it is the livelihood and main source of income for many Afghani's. Afghanistan is a  harsh and dry country. Rugged mountain ranges and brown mud steppes  dominate the landscape. There is a lot missing, things like irrigation plants and roads. Poppies are easy to cultivate, they are much simpler to grow than wheat or vegetables. The extracted opium is also very easy to transport and sells for a high price. Since the fall of the Taliban, production has risen drastically. Many of the former Mudschaheddin have become opium farmers.
The Afghani government and the UNO are fighting against illegal poppy cultivation - with little success so far. There are no alternatives available. The film shows the situation in Badachschan. Here, in the north of Afghanistan, almost everyone lives from growing opium poppies.