Afghanistan – Community Development Agriculture Program (CDA)

Increasing Rural Smallholder Incomes in Afghanistan

As part of a VEGA Consortium, ACDI/VOCA has won a $14.6 million, 2-year USAID-funded Afghanistan Community Development Agriculture (CDA) program. ACDI/VOCA is VEGA’s lead field implementing organization and provides technical expertise in marketing and agricultural development in order to increase smallholder incomes in Afghanistan. ACDI/VOCA’s share of the award is $6.9 million.

Afghanistan faces myriad challenges as Afghans seek to create better livelihoods to provide for themselves and their families in the country’s tumultuous political condition. In particular, the southeast portion of the country, which is geographically diverse and largely rural, represents a region of challenging opportunities for agricultural development in Afghanistan. The area has received much less development attention and support than other regions of Afghanistan. CDA supports increased productivity in key subsectors—market-led production of higher-value products and improved technologies that lead to greater production of commodities at lower cost per unit.

CDA confronts significant challenges. The region has a diverse agroecological environment, is mostly rural, and has seen considerably less activity aimed at rehabilitating infrastructure and livelihoods than other regions of Afghanistan. The security environment is unstable, which can influence farm and business development as well as project activities. In addition, activities are well under way in other regions of Afghanistan to build high-value horticultural markets, whereas the CDA region is not as advanced in those efforts. However, with the rehabilitation of irrigation facilities, market research and improved products, there are excellent opportunities for the increased sale of fruits, vegetables, livestock products and agroforestry.

Under the VEGA Consortium, ACDI/VOCA partners with the Citizen’s Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA), Winrock International and the region’s local tribal council. CNFA provides services that build upon their ongoing work in Afghanistan to establish farm stores. In addition, they lead the program’s work with establishing veterinary field units and support to the extension service. CNFA also supports work with the livestock and horticulture value chains. Winrock International assists program development in agroforestry and ensures appropriate gender mainstreaming in project activities. They also support expansion of off-farm agricultural employment, with a particular emphasis on women. The local council provides outreach to local communities through its regional network. It also implements community development activities and localized training to farmers and rural entrepreneurs.

For more information, contact Seth McDonagh at smcdonagh@acdivoca.org.

Updated: 1/08

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