Resource information
Economic growth, job creation, and
development are central to the decade of transformation
(2015-25) and long-term security for the people of
Afghanistan. The Bank and the Government of the Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) recognize that agriculture
and rural development are a key to inclusive growth, and
hence need renewed vigor and strategic long-term
investments. Further, the Bank and the GoIRA acknowledge
that increases in agricultural productivity and market
access for smallholders are critical for rural development,
job creation, and food security in Afghanistan. Sections two
and three of this report describe the agricultural sector
and its current and potential roles in the Afghan economy,
and present the rationale for choosing certain areas and
subsectors for a selective 'first mover' strategy
to achieve early gains. Section four outlines the
constraints and potential in each of the three value chains
proposed for the selective strategy, irrigated wheat,
intensive livestock production, and horticulture. Section
five describes cross-cutting constraints and how best to
address them, and Section six proposes measures to help the
rural poor who will not benefit much from the first-mover
strategy. Section seven summarizes the recommendations of
the review and their expected results for jobs and incomes.
