Proceedings: 2nd International Conference on Food and Agricultural Economics: THE ROLE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE ECONOMY OF AFGHANISTAN

The aim of this study is to identify the contribution of agriculture in Afghanistan economy by examining the experience of 34 provinces as documented in case studies commissioned and various secondary sources, (CSO yearbook, FAO reports, government publications, USAID reports, NGOs reports, journals and websites) for the period of 2016 - 2017. Agriculture is the backbone of the Afghan economy, the contributions of agriculture to the country's gross demotic product (GDP) is 23% in 2017, while the labor force engaged in this sector is around 61.6%. The annual growth rate in Afghanistan is predictable 3.6 percent. Afghanistan produces organic fruits, nuts, grain, vegetables and livestock products including cashmere, skin, wool, and a significant amount of these commodities is moving towards the export market. Agriculture represents for about one-quarter of national GDP and is the second largest sector after services. Over the 70 % of the population are poor living in rural areas, and agriculture plays an important role in their livelihoods. The most Afghan farms are very small and their productivity is low over the years that farmers produce to satisfy the food needs of their household, with limited agricultural production entering commercial marketing channels and the trade account deficit overall. The GDP including opium was US$ 20.3 billion with GDP per capita of US$ 697. The agricultural sector is entirely run by private enterprises, including farmers, cooperatives, input suppliers, herders, agribusiness processors, and exporters.