Obstacles and challenges of rural development in Afghanistan: examining problems and solutions
Main Article Content
This study investigates the multifaceted challenges hindering rural development in Afghanistan, employing an IMRAD structure to present findings. The introduction outlines the significance of rural development, noting that approximately 71% of the Afghan population resides in rural areas, predominantly engaged in agriculture. The methods section details a comprehensive document analysis and literature review from 2020 to 2024, focusing on institutional, socio-cultural, economic, environmental, and infrastructural barriers. Results indicate that ineffective governance, centralization, and socio-cultural issues such as gender inequality and low educational attainment severely impede progress. Additionally, economic challenges, including high poverty rates and unemployment, exacerbate the situation. Environmental concerns like land degradation and inadequate infrastructure further threaten rural livelihoods. The discussion emphasizes the interconnectedness of these challenges, advocating for a holistic approach that includes decentralization, community engagement, and investment in sustainable agricultural practices. The conclusion presents strategic recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders, highlighting the necessity of a coordinated, community-driven approach to achieve sustainable rural development in Afghanistan. By addressing these interconnected barriers, Afghanistan can foster long-term growth, stability, and improved quality of life for its rural populations.
Keywords:
Rural Development, Sustainable Development, Socio-Cultural Barriers, Economic Obstacles, Environmental Concerns, Development
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Bozorgzadeh, E., & Mousavi, S. J. (2023). Water-constrained green development framework based on economically allocable water resources. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 5306.
Couper, I., Lediga, M. I., Takalani, N. B., Floss, M., Yeoh, A. E., Ferrara, A., . . . Wanjala, M. N. (2023). Exploring the ideas of young healthcare professionals from selected countries regarding rural proofing. Rural and remote health, 23(4), 1-11.
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Eini-Zinab, H., Sobhani, S. R., & Rezazadeh, A. (2021). Designing a healthy, low-cost and environmentally sustainable food basket: an optimisation study. Public health nutrition, 24(7), 1952-1961.
Essar, M. Y., Ashworth, H., & Nemat, A. (2022). Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan through $10 billion Afghani assets: what are the challenges and opportunities at hand? Globalization and health, 18(1), 74.
Essar, M. Y., Siddiqui, A., & Head, M. G. (2023). Infectious diseases in Afghanistan: Strategies for health system improvement. Health Science Reports, 6(12), e1775.
Faizi, M., Maryono, M., & Hermawan, F. (2024). Drought in Afghanistan: Exploring the vulnerability and drought coping capacity of the farmers of Arabmazari village, Chamtal district, Balkh Province, Afghanistan. Journal of Bioresources and Environmental Sciences, 3(1), 1-13.
Gonçalves, M. M. (2023). Acceptance and commitment therapy and its unacknowledged influences: Some old wine in a new bottle? Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 30(1), 1-9.
Haidary, S. (2023). A Comparative Study of Life Quality in Urban and Rural Areas of Afghanistan: A Case Study of Jawzjan Province. Journal of Economics, Finance and Accounting Studies, 5(4), 01-09.
Hermawati, W., Ririh, K. R., Ariyani, L., Helmi, R. L., & Rosaira, I. (2023). Sustainable and green energy development to support women's empowerment in rural areas of Indonesia: Case of micro-hydro power implementation. Energy for Sustainable Development, 73, 218-231.
Jat, H. S., Sharma, P. C., Datta, A., Choudhary, M., Kakraliya, S. K., Sidhu, H. S., . . . Jat, M. (2019). Re-designing irrigated intensive cereal systems through bundling precision agronomic innovations for transitioning towards agricultural sustainability in North-West India. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 17929.
Mahgoub, E. A. A., Khairy, A., Osman, S., Haga, M. B., Osman, S. H. M., Abbu Hassan, A. M., . . . Babiker, A. (2024). War and education: the attacks on medical schools amidst ongoing armed conflict, Sudan 2023. Conflict and Health, 18(1), 23.
Manalai, P., Currie, S., Jafari, M., Ansari, N., Tappis, H., Atiqzai, F., . . . Stekelenburg, J. (2022). Quality of pre-service midwifery education in public and private midwifery schools in Afghanistan: a cross sectional survey. BMC medical education, 22(1), 39.
Nehring, R. (2022). The Brazilian green revolution. Political Geography, 95, 102574.
Rahman, S. A., Sunderland, T., Roshetko, J. M., & Healey, J. R. (2017). Facilitating smallholder tree farming in fragmented tropical landscapes: Challenges and potentials for sustainable land management. Journal of environmental management, 198, 110-121.
Rahmani, H., Wafa, W., & Yar, F. G. M. (2021). The importance of public awareness in environmental protection: A case study in Paktika, Afghanistan. Nature Environment and Pollution Technology, 20(4), 1621-1626.
Redclift, M. (2023). The role of agricultural technology in sustainable development. In Technological change and the rural environment (pp. 81-103). Routledge.
Rice, J. M., Wilson, T., Temple, J. B., & McDonald, P. (2022). The impact of demographic and economic change on the Australian generational economy: financial sustainability, intergenerational inequality, and material living standards. Frontiers in public health, 10, 798298.
Rijal, S., Rimal, B., Stork, N., & Sharma, H. P. (2020). Quantifying the drivers of urban expansion in Nepal. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192, 1-17.
Story, W. T., & Carpiano, R. M. (2017). Household social capital and socioeconomic inequalities in child undernutrition in rural India. Social Science & Medicine, 181, 112-121.
Sullivan, S. D. (2023). Medicare drug price negotiation in the United States: implications and unanswered questions. Value in Health, 26(3), 394-399.
Yar, F. G. M., & Nasih, I. U. (2024). The Role of Islam in Alleviating Poverty: An Analytical Study. Journal of Islamic and Social Studies, 10-28.
Yar, F. G. M., & Yasouri, M. (2024). Rural Development Challenges in Addition to Effective Solutions to Overcome Obstacles. Zhongguo Kuangye Daxue Xuebao, 29(3), 79-90.
Yar, F. G. M., Zahid, S., & Miakhil, J. M. (2023). Afghanistan's Geopolitical and Geo-Economic Significance in Regional Connectivity and Development. Journal of Political and Legal Sovereignty, 1(2), 78-86.
Zhang, Q., Bilsborrow, R. E., Song, C., Tao, S., & Huang, Q. (2019). Rural household income distribution and inequality in China: Effects of payments for ecosystem services policies and other factors. Ecological Economics, 160, 114-127.
Zhang, Y., Liu, G., Ma, Z., Deng, X., Song, J., & Xu, D. (2022). The influence of land attachment on land abandonment from the perspective of generational difference: Evidence from sichuan province, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(18), 11651.
Zhu, J., Zhou, B., & Li, W. (2022). Impact analysis of environmental regulation and improvement of agricultural economic efficiency on living environment based on systematic GMM model. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2022(1), 7674549.
