Why are the peoples of Afghanistan's poor?

A basic lack of resources affects the majority of Afghans who depend on agriculture for their livelihood. There is little arable land per capita, precipitation is scares, and climatic conditions are difficult in many parts of the country. Since 1999, recurrent droughts have severely affected the livelihoods of rural households, which had already lost many of their assets.

Despite significant improvements since 2001 in governance, social services and transport infrastructure, three decades of conflict have left most Afghans in conditions of hardship and insecurity. Much infrastructure remains to be reconstructed, and internal markets are still disrupted.

Poverty in Afghanistan is closely related to:

• the high illiteracy rate in rural areas, where 90 per cent of women and 63 per cent of men are unable to read or write
• rural people's dependence on livestock and agricultural activities for at least part of their income
• inadequate land ownership and access to land
• lack of irrigation infrastructure

Many rural households are poor because they have incurred heavy debts, or because they live in remote, disadvantaged areas, or because they have lost the male head of the household. Often one or more members of the households is disabled.