Food Security and Rural Poverty in Afghanistan

138 Pages·2014·1.71 MB·English

by  Khal Mohammad

Food Security and Rural Poverty in
Afghanistan

2014.3

Science on Agricultural Economy and Symbiotic Society
United Graduate School of Agricultural Science
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Khal Mohammad Ahmadzai
Food Security and Rural Poverty in Afghanistan
アフガニスタンの食料安全保障と農村部の貧困

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Economics

March 2014

Science on Agricultural Economy and Symbiotic Society
United Graduate School of Agricultural Science
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Tokyo, Japan

Khal Mohammad Ahmadzai
ID: 11955004
Abstract
A fundamental challenge that the Afghan people are facing today is ensuring millions of people
living in poverty have access to enough food to maintain a healthy life. Poverty and food
insecurity are multi-faceted phenomenon; involving low physical, financial assets and unskilled
human capital in Afghanistan. Currently, over 80% of the country’s population live in rural areas
where agriculture is the primary activity and the sector contributes about 40-50% of the GDP
(excluding the opium economy). Although in recent years (after 2001) there has been some
growth in agricultural production, the present agricultural situation in Afghanistan is marred by
massive poverty among the rural population.
So that the study was carried out in Takhar province of Afghanistan, which is located in the
northeast of the country and it is geographically a middle large sized province among the 34
provinces in Afghanistan, accounting for about 2% (12,376 km2) of the total area (652,290 km2)
and 3% (870,900) of the total population (26 million) (NRVA, 2007/08). The share of the labor
force in manufacturing industries in the province is much smaller than those in the capital city
Kabul especially in rural parts of the province. The study determined the condition of food
security and poverty in the rural area where the rural poor are living. The methodology adopted
involved the use of structured questionnaires for the collection of information on the level of
total household consumption expenditure and other social economic characteristics, which might
influence the occurrence of food security and poverty in one way or the other. This case study
has attempted to elucidate the socioeconomic consequence of poverty level and food security
through investigating the actual implementation of surveys (2009 and 2012) in three different
villages in the Yangi Qala district of Takhar province, Afghanistan. Drawing on primary data
derived from the experiences of 75 households, the study thereupon estimates the economic
balance between the households and their economic linkages. These samples were selected
through stratified random sampling techniques in order to represent all strata of the households in
the Yangi Qala district of Takhar province, Afghanistan. The data were analyzed using several
statistical tools such as frequencies, mean, standard deviation and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT)
poverty measures. As demonstrated, the local economy is dominated by agricultural activities,
especially the production of rice and wheat. As noted, however, the production of these major
primary sector products is potentially constrained on the supply side by limited agricultural
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inputs; such as improved seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, irrigation systems and the increasingly
restricted availability of land.
The study revealed that most of the region’s population is living below the poverty line (as
average 55.6%). Poverty analysis based on household level data shows that the problem of food
insecurity is more severe in this region. Also, households with higher family size and higher
dependency ratio and households having lower resources possession are suffering from higher
incidence of food insecurity and poverty. Incidence of poverty is significantly high in village B
(60%). This is mainly due to higher dependency on non-farm income, seasonal labor migration,
low level of resource possession and geographical disadvantages that higher access to basic
social services like transportation, communication, education, and health. These are also the
factors responsible for chronic and transitory poverty, but when compared to other two villages
(A and C), the poverty is deeper and severe in most developed village C, because, in village C
there are more poor people and the income gap is much wider between poor and rich people, in
the other hand; village C has easy access to some basic social services and it is most traditional
village in this research. Food security condition of the household and access to loan is dependent
on the household’s access to cultivated land, household size, and literacy level. The most
important source of calorie for villagers is cereal. Research has shown that, about 72% of the
population consume less than the estimated requirement (2,100 kcal/person/day).
The result of the study also shows that, education can play an important role in overcoming the
symptoms of poverty through expanded opportunities of non-farm employment, improving food
security and reducing child labor in the region. Another important implication is that improving
the local credit system will cope with income risk management.
However, there is a need for the government to formulate and carry out thorough implementation
of economic development plans and programs that will provide employment, housing, education,
improved health care facilities among other things specifically for the rural poor.
Arising from the findings of this study, it is therefore suggested that policies that promote human
capacity development, enhancing access to credit, and promoting farming activities are
considered as key to reducing poverty among rural households in Afghanistan.

【Keywords】Afghanistan, Rural Poverty, Food Security perspective
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Acknowledgements
First and foremost, praises and thanks to the God, the Almighty, for His showers of blessings
throughout my research work to complete the research successfully.
I would here like to express my thanks to the people who have been very helpful to me during
the time it took me to write this thesis.
I would like to thank to my PhD advisor, Professor Ryoichi Yamazaki, for supporting me during
these researches. He is one of the best advisors and one of the smartest people I know. I hope
that I could be as lively, enthusiastic, and energetic as Prof. Yamazaki and to someday be able to
command an audience as well as he can.
I will forever be thankful to my former research advisor, Professor Takashi Toyoda. Prof.
Toyoda has been helpful in providing advice always during my research. He was and remains my
best role model for a scientist, mentor, and teacher. Prof. Toyoda was the reason why I decided
to go to pursue a career in research. His enthusiasm and love for teaching is contagious. Special
Thanks to all friends and Lab members of Professor Yamazaki and Professor Toyoda.
I also have to thank the members of my PhD committee members: Prof. Dr. Nakagawa, Prof. Dr.
Saito, Prof. Dr. Chitose and Prof. Dr. Arai, for their helpful career advice and suggestions in
general. A good support system is important to surviving and staying sane in grad school. I am
grateful to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan,
which provided me the Japanese government scholarship (MONBUKAGAKUSHO), I am also
extremely grateful to Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) for facilitating
this study program for me and other Afghan students.
I especially thank my father and mother, who have both passed on during my study here in Japan,
I always remember them and they are always in prayer. My hard working parents have sacrificed
their lives for me and provided unconditional love and care. I love them so much.
Special thanks go to my great family; wife and children (Nasir Ahmad, Shafeeqa, Nisar Ahmad,
Hanifa and Ansarullah) for their support and smiles.
I dedicate this thesis to my family, brothers and sisters for their constant support and
unconditional love. I love you all dearly.
Truly Khal Mohammad Ahmadzai
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT)
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Table of Contents
Abstract…………………………………..……………….…......….………....……...…...……. Ⅰ
Acknowledgement……………………………………...…………….……….…...…………… Ⅲ
List of Tables…..……………………………….…………...………...………..………………. Ⅶ
List of Figures……..……………………………………..………….….….….….......………… Ⅷ
Abbreviations and acronyms………………………………...……….....…..…………..………. Ⅷ
Chapter 1. Introduction………………….………………………………………………..…… 1
1.1 General key definitions………….………….……………………………………...... 3
1.2 Statement of the problem……….……………………………………………...……. 6
1.3 Justification of the research……….……………………………………….……...…. 8
1.4 Motivation for the study……………….……………………………………...……... 8
1.5 Purpose and objectives of the study……….……………………….………….…….. 9
1.6 Scope of the study………………………….……………………….…….….…..… 10
1.7 Significance of the study………………………………….……………….….……. 11
1.8 Research methodology…………………………….………………………..……… 11
1.9 Structure of the thesis……………………………….……………..………….……. 12
Chapter 2. Literature review…………………………………………….……………...……. 14
2.1 The concept of poverty………………………………….…….……………...……. 14
2.2 Classifications of poverty…………………………………...………………...…… 17
2.2.1 Absolute poverty……………….……..…...………………...……..….…………… 17
2.2.2 Relative poverty……………....………...…………………..……..….…..…..……. 20
2.2.3 Human Development Indicator (HDI)……….....…………………....….……...….. 20
2.3 Measurement of poverty…………….…………………………...…….………….... 21
2.3.1 Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) measurement analysis method.……..…………..… 22
2.3.1.A Poverty Headcount Index (PHCI)………..…………….………...……….……… 22
2.3.1.B Poverty Gap Index (PGI)…….………….……………….……...…………….….. 23
2.3.1.C Poverty Square Gap Index (PSGI)…….……….……………..…..…………..….. 23
2.4 Poverty line…………………………………………….…..................….…………. 23
2.4.1 Direct Calorie Intake (DCI) method…………………………….…….………….… 24
2.4.2 Food Energy Intake (FEI) method………………………..……….…………….….. 25
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2.4.3 Cost of Basic Needs (CBN) method…………………………….......………..…….. 25
2.4.3.A Indicators of poverty………………….……………...……….….………………. 26
2.4.3.B Poverty profiles……………………...…………………………..…………….…. 28
2.5 Assessment of poverty……………………………………………..……………..… 29
2.6 Living standard measurement study of the world bank and direct measurement of
expenditures……………………….…………………………………………….…………...…. 31
2.7 Islamic views of Poverty……………………….………………………………...… 33
2.8 Summary of chapter 2……………….……………………………………….….…. 33
Chapter 3. Case study in the Afghania village of Yangi Qala district, Takhar province of
Afghanistan…………………………….………………………….…………….…………...… 35
3.1 Introduction…………………….…………………………………………….…….. 35
3.2 General information about the study area………….………….……………...……. 36
3.3 Situation of agriculture in Afghanistan……………….……...…..………..…..…… 38
3.4 Land tenure and ownership in Afghanistan…………….………………………….. 41
3.5 Situation of food security in Afghanistan……………….…………………………. 41
3.6 Linkages of employment, poverty and food security in Afghanistan.…....……. 45
3.7 Food security and nutrition in Afghanistan……………….………….…….……… 46
3.7.1 The concept of food security…...………………...…….…………………………… 46
3.7.2 Food security status in the study area……...…………...……...……...……...……. 50
3.7.3 Nutritional situation in the study area……….…………………...…….…………... 50
3.8 Type of labor in Afghanistan……………….…………………….……..………….. 51
3.8.1 Importance of agricultural and non-farm labor…….…………….…….…………… 51
3.8.2 Definition of labor categories……………………….…………………………...…. 52
3.9 Household classifications based on nutritional indicator….…………………...…. 53
3.10 Food consumption choices follow a typical pattern……….……………..…….… 55
3.11 Non food consumption covers multiple items……………….………………..….. 56
3.12 Households’ main source of income……………………….…………………...… 56
3.13 Access to loan……………………………………………….……………….…… 58
3.14 Situation of food security and poverty in the research area…...….…………….… 60
3.14.1 Labor and income generating activities……………….………….…..………...… 61
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3.14.2 Agriculture is the main source of livelihood in the research area.………………. 62
3.14.3 Food security index and poverty line in the research area……….……..……….... 63
3.15 Summary of chapter 3……………………………….…………………….……… 64
Chapter 4. Comparative study on the role of human capital for poverty reduction and food
security in the Yangi Qala district of Takhar province, Afghanistan….………..………..... 65
4.1 Introduction…………………………………………………….…………………... 65
4.2 Sample villages and sample households……………………….………..……….… 66
4.3 Measurement of rural poverty with GFT poverty analysis method…...….……..…. 70
4.4 State of human capital…………………………………………….……………….. 72
4.4.1 Demographic composition of the households....……….………….……………..…. 72
4.4.2 Health and education………….………...…………………...……..….……….…… 73
4.5 Characteristics of agriculture in the research area………….……..……….……….. 74
4.5.1 Landholding patterns………………………..……..…….…..….……......……….. 74
4.5.2 Land productivity of wheat………………..…...……………….….……….………. 75
4.6 Labor force allocation and income sources for households…..………..…...……… 76
4.6.1 Income sources…………………………..…………………….…………...………. 76
4.6.2 Labor force and job diversification...…..………….……..…….…………....……... 78
4.7 Risk-coping ability and credit market in the research area.…….……………..…… 79
4.7.1 Management ability for farm strategy……….………………………………...…… 81
4.7.2 A measure of risk coping………………....………….…..………….…….…..…… 82
4.8 Summary of chapter 4……………………………….……..…...…….…....………. 84
Chapter 5. Situational analysis of child labor in Afghanistan, Qualitative study based on the
field survey data in Takhar province…………………………...…………………….………… 86
5.1 Introduction………………………………………….……....……………………… 86
5.2 Child labor in Afghanistan.……………………………….………………………… 86
5.3 Situation of child labor in the study area………………...….……………………… 88
5.4 Summary of chapter 5……………………………………....……….……………… 94
Chapter 6. Conclusion and recommendations………..….….……….……………………… 95
6.1 Conclusion.………………………………………….……….………………...…… 95
6.2 Implication of results and recommendations…………...………….…..……....…… 97
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References…………………………………….………………………...……………………... 100
Appendix 1. Food items in NRVA 2007/08, NRVA 2005 and caloric intake…………...….... 107
Appendix 2. Map of the study area...……………….……...…………………..………..…..… 108
Appendix 3. Village A map….……………………………………….………..………...….… 109
Appendix 4. Village B map………………………………………….……………..…………. 110
Appendix 5. Village C map………………………………………….…..……………………. 111
Appendix 6. Surveyed households namelist………..…………….…...…..…………..………. 112
Appendix 7. Field Survey’s questionnaire……………………………..….……………….….. 113

List of Tables
Table 1. Households group demographics……………………………….……………..………. 54
Table 2. Households incomes and expenditures balance (%)…………….……….……………. 57
Table 3. Socioeconomic situation of household groups and source of their calorie intake (%)... 59
Table 4. Characteristics of the study villages………………………………….…………....….. 68
Table 5. Per- capita annual consumption expenditure………………………..……….……..…. 71
Table 6. State of human capital…………………………………………………….………....… 73
Table 7. Farm land tenancy…………………………………………...………….……...……… 74
Table 8. Land productivity of wheat grains……………………………….…………………..... 75
Table 9. Income level and income source of composition……………….………………..….… 77
Table 10. Labor force allocation…………………………………………….………………..… 78
Table 11. Debt/Credit positions………………………………………….………….…….……. 80
Table 12. Self sufficiency in wheat……………………………………….……………….....…. 81
Table 13. Adjustment to risk…………………………………………….…………………..….. 83
Table 14. Average statistics of the working children………………….……………...………... 89
Table 15. Working child’s characteristics in the research area (%)………….……...………… 91
Table 16. No. of children and child labor, ages 6-17 in the research area…….………..……… 93

VII
List of Figures
Figure 1. Correlation of food security and poverty…………………………………………...… 35
Figure 2. Main sources of income: National average, Kuchi, rural and urban households…..… 52
Figure 3. Poverty line in the study area………………….……………………………………... 61
Figure 4. Correlation of household monthly income and their daily calorie intake…..……...… 62
Figure 5. Source of calorie in the study area……….…………………….………………….…. 63
Figure 6. Source of calorie in developing Asian……………………......………………………. 63
Figure 7. Framework of the research……....…………………………………………………… 66
Figure 8. No. of child labor in household…………...………………………….………………. 94

Abbreviations and acronyms

AFS Afghanistan Currency
ANDS Afghanistan National Development Strategy
AREU Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit
AVER Average
AWCC Afghan Wireless Communication Company
CBN Cost of Basic Needs
CGAP Consultative Group to Assist the Poor
CSO Centeral Statistics Office
DCI Direct Calorie Intake
FAO Food and Agricultural Organization
FEI Food Energy Intake
FGT Foster-Greer-Thorbecke
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GNP Gross National Product
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