Assessment of Information and Communication Technologies in Afghan Agricultural Extension

The country's agricultural sector is largely undeveloped, with little or no extension support available to farmers. This has led to unproductivity, hunger, and poverty among the population, with more than 80% of Afghans engaged in farming. The communications sector in Afghanistan is relatively well-developed, with mobile phone and radio services being the most promising options for agricultural extension. However, major challenges remain, including unreliable electricity, widespread rural illiteracy, and a lack of computer skills among potential staff. Additionally, international project support is being progressively withdrawn, making it essential for new initiatives to adapt to the current state of ICT and the existing needs of stakeholders in Afghanistan. Several opportunities make Afghanistan a great fit for ICT-based extension efforts. The country's geography is difficult to navigate, making remote communications a more reasonable option. The current lack of travel budgets for district extensionists to meet in person with farmers makes remote communications the next best alternative. Few agricultural ICT services currently exist, which would drive up quality and drive down prices of services. In-country organizations are seeking to outfit district extension offices with Internet access, equipment, and ICT training, creating an opportunity to integrate reliable ICT services into these extensionists' portfolios. The assessment highlights various challenges, including security threats to ICT infrastructure and individuals who share information across ICT channels. Tariffs remain high due to poor security, high energy costs, and pro-market policy. Electricity is not generally available in rural areas, and technology and network access remain limited. Illiteracy rates are high, making SMS impossible for most, while voice services remain costly. About 62% of Afghans are in poverty or highly vulnerable to falling into poverty, making paying for beneficial services unviable for most households. The country's infrastructure necessary for ICT functionality remains very limited in rural areas, and land productivity is low in many areas, limiting the benefit-cost ratio for paying for extension services. Widespread corruption discourages trust or investment in institutionalized systems, and the workforce is largely untrained, with even the most qualified individuals having limited ICT skills. The significant digital gender apartheid limits women's access to and understanding of ICT technologies, reducing the potential user base and impact. Afghanistan's agricultural sector has the potential to create national and international socio-economic stability. However, the dramatic instability faced by rural families has made it challenging to develop the sector. The country's agricultural production has declined significantly since the 1970s, with exports valued at 600 million USD in 1978. Today, more than 35% of the population is unemployed, and an equivalent amount lives in poverty. The assessment aims to inform organizations seeking to employ ICT in agricultural development in Afghanistan about current players and resources, past efforts, and potential keys to success. The report provides a summary of initiatives, including governmental, non-governmental, private firm, and university initiatives. The assessment also highlights promising options for the use of ICT in Afghan agricultural extension, including reformatting existing Internet resources for SMS and radio delivery in collaboration with well-established stakeholders in various sectors. Key stakeholders in the agricultural extension sector in Afghanistan include capacity building and change management programs, Cisco Networking Academy, Dewae, Food for Life, Impassion Afghanistan, Livestock Market Information Early Warning Systems, Malomat, M-Paisa, PAYWAND, and The Killid Group. These stakeholders have the potential to play a crucial role in the development of the agricultural sector in Afghanistan. The assessment concludes that ICT has the potential to improve access to agricultural information for both farmers and regional extension agents in Afghanistan. However, major challenges remain, including security threats, high tariffs, unreliable electricity, and widespread rural illiteracy. The assessment highlights the need for early involvement of collaborators to ensure the situational appropriateness and sustainability of ICT-based extension efforts in Afghanistan.