London: While reports of a 32 percent increase in opium cultivation in Afghanistan have raised concerns, it has been decided to find a solution through artificial technology. Notably, in April 2022, the Taliban imposed a ban on the cultivation of opium and other drug-related crops. Since then, the move has been carried out in an effort to control drugs.
UK-based Cranfield University said in a recent (2023, January 16) statement that its researchers are helping the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered program to monitor illicitly cultivated crops. reported.
Opium production in Afghanistan
According to the university, data from the satellites will be used to monitor where opium, which is used to produce the drug, is being cultivated. Opium cultivation in Afghanistan has increased by 32 percent, says the UN. The news comes months after the agency’s investigations were released.
It is noteworthy that this is the first news about the measures being taken in the country to control the increase in drugs since the Taliban banned the cultivation of opium and all other drugs in April 2022 last year.
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According to earlier reports, at least 80 percent of illegal opium is produced in Kabul, which was seen as shocking.
“This is a very important project. For Afghanistan, the large-scale production of opium is a major concern, so we are looking for the help of technology to monitor illicit crops,” said Dr. Daniel Sims, professor of remote sensing at Cranfield University.
He mentioned the benefits of automating the tracking process, including time savings, accurate tracking, etc. The partnership between the UN and the university will last until July 2023.
According to UNODC findings, since the Taliban imposed the ban, opium prices have risen, while farmers’ income from opium sales has tripled, from $425 million in 2021 to $1.4 million in 2022.
“The international community must work to address these large-scale problems in Afghanistan. Countries around the world must step up preventive measures, empowering people to stop heroin trafficking and criminal groups that harm people,” said UNODC Executive Director Gada Wali.
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