Germany on Sunday provided 20 tractors with a cost of $300,000 for Afghan farmers in northern Afghanistan.

A provincial agricultural official, Ghulam Farouq Haidari, said ten of the twenty tractors will be in service of farmers in Balkh province and the rest could be used by farmers in Jowzjan and Samangan provinces.

The tractors are fully equipped with every necessary machines required in farming and agricultural works.

The tractors could be rented for five dollars per hour and this has been one of the agricultural assistance of the German GTZ organisation.

"We have the tractors with us and will make use of them," Mr Ghulam Farouq Haidari said.

Farmers in the northern Balkh province expressed gratitude, saying it will help to double agricultural products.

"We pay Afs 270 (5 USD) to rent each tractor from the agricultural department," said a farmer in northern Balkh province.

But farmers voiced concern about water shortages, calling on the government to fix the system of water resources so that the issue is taken care of.