On the right bank of the river, exposed to the sun, arable land is scarce, while on the left bank, in the shadow of the mountains, there is more arable land, but not enough light or warmth. The villages on the upper reaches of the Yaghnob River are surrounded by good pastures, but these areas are occupied by the Tadzhiks. Among the crops grown by the Yaghnabis are barley, wheat and peas. The growing season is short. The Yaghnabi villages are small, for houses have to be situated near irrigated fields.
New crops have to be fertilized, and it is difficult to carry the manure from far away.
As there are no woods in the Yaghnabi area, they build stone houses clustered together. Flat roofs are used as courtyards, where people work or loiter, send off their dead and meet their neighbours. Certain jobs are specific to the sexes, for instance, fields are irrigated only by men, while animals in the summer pastures are taken care of by women. The game they hope for is wild goat. Fruit and vegetables do not grow in the Yaghnob valley, they are brought from elsewhere.