Perspectives from the field: Key development issues and approaches in Afghanistan
Edmonton, Canada July 29, 2014
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Presentation outline • Afghanistan • Development issues in Afghanistan • Aga Khan Development Network in Afghanistan • Promising approaches and strategies • Role of community and civil society in global citizenship – a grassroot perspective • What does all this have to do with you? © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
What is the image of ‘Afghanistan’ you have in mind?
© 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
This is the Afghanistan I know
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Afghanistan at a glance
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Kabul is the capital
30 million population
74% rural and 22% urban and 4% nomads
652,230 sq. km; slightly smaller than Texas state of US
Landlocked; mostly mountains and desert
Dry climate, with cold winters and hot summers
34 provinces (administrative divisions)
Fully centralized government
© 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Key development indicators
• GNI per capita: US$410 – ranked 204 • Poverty rate:36% • Life expectancy at birth: 48M – 48F • School enrolment: 46% (Boys 52%, Girls 40%) • Female literacy rate: 29% • MMR (per 100,000 live births): 327 – still ranked 164/165 • Child mortality: 96 (per 1,000 live births) © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Key development issues
© 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Lack of qualified human resources, particularly female
Lack of community capacity in driving their development agenda
Cultural and social norms
AKDN AKFC is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a family of private, non-denominational development agencies dedicated to improving living conditions and opportunities for the poor, without regard to their faith, origin or gender.
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
AKF in Afghanistan • 53 districts in seven provinces • 1,600 communities and more than 3 million target population • More than 1800 staff (97% Afghans) • Partnership with 15 donors including DFATD
© 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
The Goal To contribute to stability, prosperity and overall quality of life of the Afghan population
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
The approaches • Multi-sectoral, integrated • Systemic and long term • Fostering indigenous institutions and human resources • Community-led • Alignment with national priorities
© 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
AKF in Afghanistan • Key program areas: Rural Development - Participatory Governance and Civil Society Natural Resource Management Market Development and Financial Access Infrastructure Development Health Education Afghan-Tajik cross-border cooperation program
© 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Participatory Governance
• •
Government provincial departments District level government
•
Community Institutions
• Linkage building • Reverse linkage building • Horizontal experience sharing • Social Audit • Gender sensitive planning • Capacity building attached to infrastructure development • Downward accountability • Thematic intervention
C:\Users\fawad\Desktop\Social Audit film VTS_01_1.VOB © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Participatory Governance
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Health
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYdHwtrWngU Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Health
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Natural Resources Management
Government and Civil Society Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Market Development and Financial Access • Value chain approach • Agricultural • Non-agricultural • Vocational training • Tourism Development • Community Based Saving Groups (72% female)
© 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Consumers
Retailing
Wholesale Marketing
On-farm Storage
Production
Input Supply Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Procurement/purchase, Storage at shop, Grading/sorting, Retail sale
Procurement/purchase Storage at shops, Sorting, Packing, Sale at farm, Sale in local markets, Sale in Fiazabad and Takhar Grading/Sorting, Storage, Sorting on ongoing basis Fertilizer application, Bordex mixture application, Irrigation, Pruning, Picking, Packing, Sales on Farm or at market ,Fruit Plants Agro-chemicals (Fert, Pesticides, Lime, Copper, Sulfur etc.) Farmyard Manure Tools/Equipments
Local General Retail Shops N=55
Wholesale/ Retail Traders Local Market N=15
Fruit & Vegetables Retail Shops N=28
Traders from Faizabad/Takhar N=?
Contractors (Faisabad) N=40 Small Vendors N=60
Local Contractors N=20
Small Farmers with Scattered Plantations N=450
Tools/ Equipment Manufacturer
N=2 Mother Stock Nursery (MSN) & Associated Stock Nurseries (ASN)
MSN=3 ASN=13
Commercial Apple Producers N=300
Pesticides/Agro -chemicals Shops
N=2 Farmers’ Nursery (Informal)
N=16
Education • Schools management • District education dept. • Provincial education dept. • National MoEdu. • Other INGOs • AKDN (AKF, AKES and AKU)
• Govt. School Program • Community Based Classes • Teacher Trng. Colleges • Pre-Schools • Mother Literacy Classes • Parenting Education
© 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Education
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Cross Border Cooperation
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Exercise
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Conclusion You can’t criticize what you don’t understand: Teachers as social change agents in neo liberal times. An article by Dr. Michael O’Sullivan of Brock University “Citizenship is defined by being a member with rights and responsibilities. Therefore, GCE must encourage active involvement. GCE can be taught from a critical and transformative perspective, whereby students are thinking, feeling, and doing. In this approach, GCE requires students to be politically critical and personally transformative. Teachers provide social issues in a neutral and grade-appropriate way for students to understand, grapple with, and do something about.”
© 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Thank you Any Questions?
Š 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada