Strengthening Livelihoods for Resilience and Sustainable Development

PACo’s livelihood interventions are designed to empower vulnerable communities across Afghanistan with the tools, skills, and resources they need to achieve self-reliance and long-term economic security. In alignment with the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, the National Agricultural Development Framework, and global priorities such as the Sustainable Development Goals, PACo places a strong emphasis on building climate-resilient, inclusive, and market-oriented livelihoods.

PACo inclusive livelihood support intervention package includes the following core components:

1. Vocational and Entrepreneurial Empowerment

• Vocational Skills Training: Providing market-driven vocational training for youth and adults to enhance employability and income generation.
• Entrepreneurship Support: Supporting aspiring entrepreneurs with business development training, mentorship, and access to startup resources.
• Small Business Grants: Offering financial support and guidance to establish or expand small enterprises, especially for women and youth.

2. Agricultural and Livestock Development

• Technical Capacity Building: Training farmers and herders in modern, sustainable techniques for crop production, livestock management, and climate-smart practices.
• Sustainable Agriculture Promotion: Introducing eco-friendly practices including organic fertilization, composting, green manure use, and agroecology.
• Climate-Resilient Farming: Enhancing agricultural productivity through access to certified and climate-resilient seeds and improved farming technologies.

3. Promotion of Protected and Efficient Agriculture Systems

• Protected Agriculture Technologies: Promoting greenhouse farming and other protected systems to increase yield, extend growing seasons, and enhance food security.
• Irrigation Infrastructure: Improving traditional irrigation systems and introducing drip irrigation technologies to increase water efficiency and mitigate drought risks.
• Soil and Land Protection: Supporting interventions to prevent land degradation, flooding, and soil erosion.

4. Livestock and Pastoralist Support

• Livestock Nutrition and Health: Improving feeding systems through capacity building in concentrate feed, mineral block making, and urea treatment.
• Veterinary and Breeding Support: Supporting livestock immunization campaigns and enhancing breeding practices for herd quality improvement.
• Pastoralist Training: Building herders’ capacity in animal husbandry, pasture management, and sustainable grazing practices.

5. Market Access and Value Chain Development

• Value Chain Integration: Facilitating farmers’ and herders’ engagement in value chains and improving post-harvest handling and processing.
• Market Linkages: Assisting producers in forming associations and cooperatives to strengthen bargaining power and access local and regional markets.

Through these multi-faceted livelihood interventions, PACo contributes to reducing poverty, enhancing food security, and building resilient rural economies. Our approach is inclusive, participatory, and tailored to local contexts, ensuring that farmers, herders, women, and youth are equipped not only to survive but to thrive in a changing socio-economic and environmental landscape.