Transforming Afghanistan? Seeking coherence between technical solutions and political processes: lessons from the field
This research examines how people make a living in rural areas and the role that government, aid agencies and markets play
Abstract
Despite efforts from the international community to rebuild Afghanistan into a democratic, modern, prosperous society, the country remains troubled. The provision of basic services and infrastructure has been eroded; its economy has all but collapsed; poverty rates have remained constant and and many people in rural areas are trapped in a falling rural economy.
This briefing paper draws from 3 years of research into how people make a living in rural Afghanistan and the role that government, aid agencies, markets and the private sector have played.
Key findings include:
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There are considerable gaps between policy models and programme theories of change as to how things should work in sub-national governance, markets and village life and how they actually work
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Political settlements at all levels have a profound influence on access to public goods and economic opportunities, and need to be better considered in programme design and implementation
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Access to public goods has improved, but is uneven: village elites and networks of access determine who gets what.
This research was funded under the Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium (SLRC) programme
Citation
Pain, A., Jackson, A., Huot, D., Minoia, G., 2017. Transforming Afghanistan? Seeking coherence between technical solutions and political processes: lessons from the field, Briefing Paper, London: Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, 5p
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