Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Enhanced Integrated Framework ...

correlated with higher involvement in nonfarmingactivities as is access to major roads.contributed to a lowering of poverty rates inthese areas.Asset ownership and crop diversificationA lack of ownership of land and livestock isassociated with lower poverty. 23 Small landowners, landless families and families withoutlivestock are in most cases poor. Moreover,ownership of non irrigated land is strongly associatedwith levels of poverty with familieswho are engaged in cultivating rain fed landmuch poorer than families that cultivate irrigatedland. Equally, livestock ownership appearsto decrease economic vulnerability. Urbanfamilies without home ownership arehighly vulnerable as they have to allocate largeparts of income to paying rent. Moreover, cropdiversification appears to be an importantspring board strategy for escaping poverty.Access to educationPoverty reduction and economic growth areclosely associated with the population’s level ofeducation. As highlighted above, a literatehead of household has greater earning potentialand is negatively correlated with poverty.Access to education by the bottom consumptionquintile is low, resulting in a lower netprimary school enrollment rate. 24 The 2005NRVA also highlights a significant gender disparityin net primary school enrollment, especiallyamong Kuchi and in rural areas, whilethe disparity in urban areas remains marginal.Access to health facilitiesA lack of access to health facilities and povertyare closely related. Higher household consumptionis associated with more frequent visitsto health facilities and higher vaCross CuttingIssuesnation rates of children (see box 3.8).Access to the Basic Package of Health Services(BPHS) has significantly improved, covering 85percent of the population in 2006. This has23 According to the WB analysis based on NRVA 2005 more than70 percent of households in Afghanistan are engaged in agriculturelivestock activities.24 Net primary enrolment rate is the proportion of primary schoolage children (6-9) who enrolled in primary grades.Box 3.8. Health and hospital services in theprovinces“We don’t have a clinic here but if you arelucky enough to be able to drive the 30kilometers to the nearest hospital you finddoctors who are not professional, who don’tpay attention to you, and who tell you to goout and buy your own medicine.” femaleparticipant, Papchi village, Herat.Source: APPPA, final report march 2008Other important causes of povertyA number of other factors are linked with povertyin Afghanistan:• Indebtedness: a lack of job security, irregularincome, pressure to buy food and havingto pay rent forces many rural and urbanpoor to increase borrowing.• Remoteness: the NRVA data indicate povertyis much lower in areas that are close tothe main roads (Ring Road). Topographicalremoteness and the lack of access to majorroads remains a major causative factorof poverty.• Female household heads and disability:research conducted by MoWA identifiedfemale households as being linked withhigher rates of poverty. Likewise, having adisabled head of household or a disabledfamily member is also associated withhigher poverty.The remaining causes of poverty include: (i)security; (ii) large households with small children;(iii) poor access to basic services (waterand electricity), and (iv) natural disasters.Box 3.9. Poverty and natural disasters“In the spring the river overflows – there isno retaining wall and our lands aredamaged” male participant, Bai Sarcommunity, Herat.Source: APPPA final report, march 200832Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS)