The The Role of Horticulture in Sustainable Rural Development: Apple Orchard Case Study in Qades, Afghanistan

Abdul Naser Orfany; Moazam Haqmal; Agha Mohammad Tawakali

doi:10.62810/jnsr.v4i1.351

Authors

Abdul Naser Orfany Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Badghis University, Badghis, Afghanistan
Moazam Haqmal Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Badghis University, Badghis , Afghanistan
Agha Mohammad Tawakali Graduate Student, Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Badghis University, Badghis, Af

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62810/jnsr.v4i1.351

Keywords:

Apple orchards; Horticulture; Rural development; Sustainable agriculture

Abstract

Rural development through agricultural diversification has become increasingly critical for sustainable economic growth in developing nations. This study examines the role of apple Orchards in promoting sustainable rural development in Qades district, Badghis province, Afghanistan. Using a mixed-methods approach, we surveyed 295 farmers selected through stratified random sampling from a population of 1,280 apple orchardists. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed in SPSS 26.0 using correlation analysis, multiple regression, and ANOVA. Results indicate significant positive impacts of apple cultivation on rural development indicators. Seventy percent of respondents reported an increase in household income, while 68% identified apple orchards as a source of sustainable employment. Infrastructure improvements were reported by 72% of participants. Strong positive correlations were found between attitude toward apple orchards establishment and orchard size (r = 0.98, p < 0.001) and annual income (r = 0.95, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that orchard size, education level, and farming experience collectively explain 89.2% of the variance in annual income (R² = 0.892, F = 252.3, p < 0.001). Major challenges include water scarcity (reported by 72% of farmers), climate variability, and limited access to financial services. The study concludes that apple orchards serve as an effective catalyst for rural development but require targeted interventions to address water management, farmer education, and market access to maximize their potential.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Kinuthia, B. K. (2018). Credit constraints and agricultural productivity in developing countries: The case of East Africa (AGRODEP Working Paper No. 40). International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/146722

Noonari, S., Memon, I. N., Wahid, R., Peerzdo, M. B., Memon, Q.-u.-a., Wagan, S. A., Chandio, A. A., Sethar, A. A., Bhatti, M. A., & Kalwar, G. Y. (2015). Economic analysis of apple orchards production in District Mastung, Balochistan, Pakistan. European Journal of Business and Management, 7(10), 40–47. http://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/EJBM/article/view/21328/22376

Barrett, C. B., Reardon, T., & Webb, P. (2001). Nonfarm income diversification and household livelihood strategies in rural Africa: Concepts, dynamics, and policy implications. Food Policy, 26(4), 315–331. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0306-9192(01)00014-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0306-9192(01)00014-8

Manjul, M., & Nishupal. (2024). Apple-based production and socio-economic status of rural community (A study on Dhamwari village and Shiladesh village from Chhuhara block, District Shimla). International Journal of Novel Research and Development (IJNRD), 9(6), Article IJNRD2406327. https://www.ijnrd.org

Chambers, R., & Conway, G. (1992). Sustainable rural livelihoods: Practical concepts for the 21st century (IDS Discussion Paper No. 296). Institute of Development Studies. https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/20.500.12413/775

Chand, R., Prasanna, L., & Singh, A. (2011). Farm size and productivity: Understanding the strengths of smallholders and improving their livelihoods. Economic and Political Weekly, 46(26–27), 5–11. https://www.epw.in/journal/2011/26-27/review-agriculture-review-issues-specials/farm-size-and-productivity

Ellis, F., & Biggs, S. (2001). Evolving themes in rural development 1950s–2000s. Development Policy Review, 19(4), 437–448. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-7679.00143 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-7679.00143

Food and Agriculture Organization. (2019). The state of food and agriculture: Moving forward on food loss and waste reduction. FAO Publications. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/11f9288f-dc78-4171-8d02-92235b8d7dc7/content

Food and Agriculture Organization. (2021). Afghanistan agricultural sector review. FAO Country Report Series. https://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2021/en/

Hussain, S., Khaliq, A., Ali, B., Hussain, H. A., Qadir, T., & Hussain, S. (2019). Temperature extremes: Impact on rice growth and development. In M. Hasanuzzaman, M. Fujita, K. Nahar, & J. K. Biswas (Eds.), Plant abiotic stress tolerance (pp. 153–171). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-06118-0_7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-06118-0_6

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2021). Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Cambridge University Press. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/

Gunasekera, D., Parsons, H., & Smith, M. (2017). Post-harvest loss reduction in Asia-Pacific developing economies. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 7(3), 303–317. https://doi.org/10.1108/JADEE-12-2015-0058 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JADEE-12-2015-0058

Kitajima, H. (2024). Introduction of Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach as an innovative agricultural extension model. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 24(3), 25902–25918. https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.128.24330 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.128.24330

Rajapaksha, L., Gunathilake, D. M. C. C., Pathirana, S. M., & Fernando, T. N. (2021). Reducing post-harvest losses in fruits and vegetables for ensuring food security – Case of Sri Lanka. MOJ Food Processing & Technology, 9(1), 7–16. https://doi.org/10.15406/mojfpt.2021.09.00255 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15406/mojfpt.2021.09.00255

Kumar, S., Sharma, R., & Sharma, S. (2021). Impact of socio-economic factors on farm income under existing farming systems: A study in North-Western Himalayas. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 57(2), 68–73. https://doi.org/10.5958/2454-552X.2021.00068.2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5958/2454-552X.2021.00068.2

Maletta, H. (2008). Gender and employment in rural Afghanistan, 2003–2005. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 43(2), 173–196. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021909607087219 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0021909607087219

Sheikh, S. H., & Tripathi, A. K. (2013). Socioeconomic conditions of apple growers of Kashmir Valley: A case study of district Anantnag. International Journal of Educational Research and Technology, 4(1), 30–39. http://www.soeagra.com/ijert/ijert.htm

Shrestha, R. B., & Bokhtiar, S. M. (2023). Climate smart agriculture strategies to respond to climate change in South Asia. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) & Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369595283

Weinberger, K., & Lumpkin, T. A. (2007). Diversification into horticulture and poverty reduction: A research agenda. World Development, 35(8), 1464–1480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2007.05.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2007.05.002