Journal of Saffron Research

Journal of Saffron Research

Evaluation of Production Status, Energy Efficiency Indicators and Plant Knowledge Management for Saffron Systems in Herat Province, Afghanistan

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Ramin Nazarian 1
Mahdi Nassiri Mahallati 2
Soroor Khorramdel 3
1 Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Herat University, Herat, Afghanistan.
2 Professor, Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
3 Associate Professor, Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
10.22077/jsr.2025.10018.1287
Abstract
Introduction: Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most significant medicinal plants with high economic value in the agriculture of Herat Province, Afghanistan. Over the past two decades, saffron cultivation has expanded in Herat, with the Afghan government promoting it as an alternative crop to opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) and encouraging farmers to grow this valuable product. Saffron is among the most valuable agricultural products that can contribute to job creation. Key reasons for investing in this sector in Afghanistan include achieving food security, ensuring sustainable income, facilitating product exports, and improving the livelihoods of rural households. Analyzing energy consumption in agricultural ecosystems plays a crucial role in enhancing managerial perspectives and improving the quality of planning and decision-making in agricultural management and development. Consequently, energy management has been introduced as a strategy for maximizing the utilization of energy resources. Additionally, energy indicators serve as suitable metrics for assessing performance and efficiency in agricultural ecosystems. Examining the trends of energy inputs and outputs in agricultural systems aims to optimize energy consumption and reduce production costs by minimizing energy expenses. To date, no information has been published regarding the energy balance of agricultural products in Afghanistan, making this study the first of its kind focusing on the energy balance in saffron cultivation within the country. Therefore, there is a necessity to conduct research examining the saffron agricultural ecosystem with a focus on energy efficiency in Herat Province, considering the traditional agricultural system prevalent there.

Materials and Methods: To study the saffron agricultural ecosystem and energy consumption indicators in farms over a six-year period, data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed accordingly. Each questionnaire contained questions regarding input and output energy in saffron cultivation. A total of 50 questionnaires were completed through face-to-face interviews with farmers.

Results and Discussion: The results indicated that in 2023, Herat Province had an area under saffron cultivation of 7,952 hectares, yielding 22,240 kilograms, which accounted for 95.6% of the total saffron production in the country. The highest energy consumption during the first year of saffron cultivation was attributed to corms (33.57% of total energy input). Over six years of saffron cultivation, the energy consumption was distributed among chemical fertilizers, irrigation water, organic fertilizers, human labor, electricity, and fuel, accounting for 24.4%, 17.04%, 15.04%, 6.88%, 1.00%, and 1.57% of total energy input, respectively. The energy efficiency of saffron based on stigmas was calculated at 0.001, with an energy productivity of 0.00007 kilograms per megajoule consumed. The specific energy and net energy values for saffron production in Afghanistan were determined to be 14,969 megajoules per kilogram and -132,577 megajoules per hectare, respectively. Saffron cultivation in Afghanistan is traditionally practiced on small plots of land, with all operations such as plowing, land preparation, transporting and distributing chemical and organic fertilizers, planting corms, maintenance, harvesting flowers and stigmas, and collecting corms in the final year being carried out manually. Due to the high costs of fuel and electricity in Afghanistan, their share in saffron production has decreased to minimal levels (1.57% and 1% of total energy input). Therefore, the lower proportion of direct energy inputs (26.49% of total energy input) in the saffron agricultural ecosystem can be attributed to the low share of fuel and electricity consumption. Conversely, the higher share of renewable energy (57.49% of total energy input) indicates the relative sustainability of the saffron agricultural system in Herat Province.

Conclusion: The significance of saffron cultivation in Afghanistan arises from various aspects such as low water requirements, higher income generation compared to other crops, family-based farming practices, job creation for rural communities, reduced reliance on machinery, prevention of migration, serving as an alternative crop to opium poppy, and its potential for foreign exchange earnings and non-oil export development. Although the ratio of produced to consumed energy in saffron agriculture is low, this research demonstrates that saffron is cultivated ecologically on small plots of land in Herat using traditional methods. Given its economic value, saffron plays a more significant role than other crops in the region's agricultural pattern, contributing to job creation and improving the livelihoods of rural residents.
Keywords
Ecological agriculture
Energy productivity
Energy use efficiency
Renewable energy
Net energy
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Journal of Saffron Research
Volume 14, Issue 1 - Serial Number 26
Issue in Progress
2026
Pages 91-72