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Expectations of Agricultural Extension Programmes among Local Agents and International Support Personnel in South-Eastern Afghanistan

Insecure rural regions, where local government and international agriculture development personnel are targeted by insurgents, are a growing threat to world security. This study evaluates agricultural outreach programmes in the Khost, Paktika and Paktya provinces of Afghanistan, a region characterized by limited functionality of government and traditional agricultural institutions, along with ongoing insurgency. International personnel either hired Afghan agricultural agents directly or, where applicable, supported local government personnel. Afghan agricultural agents used training and outreach techniques that circumvented location-specific barriers to security and accessibility, assessed agricultural community needs and lobbied international personnel in response to farmer requests. During interviews, international personnel emphasized training and institution building, while Afghan agents focused on material and infrastructure needs. Poor security limited communication between stakeholders and decision makers, and differences in perceived development objectives among Afghan agents and international personnel challenged programmatic success. The study concludes that these challenges should be taken into account when planning similar programmes wherever systematic violence threatens traditional agricultural development.