Norway has supported rural development for several years through national programs and NGOs. The main project was National Solidarity Programme (NSP) which is one of the Priority Investment Programmes of the Government, supported through ARTF.
NSP II (2007-2009) is a continuation of NSP I (2002-2007) a national priority development program. Key development issues addressed by the programme are rural reconstruction, strengthening of local governance and enhancing government effectiveness. NSP is executed by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) and monitored by a management support group.
Selling the harvest. Photo: M. Dyrud
The objective of NSP II is to scale up the program to strengthen community level governance, and to improve the access of rural communities to social and productive infrastructure and services by supporting community-managed projects comprising of reconstruction and development
Reaching out to an estimated additional 4,318 new villages, the NSP II will expand to
(i) establish a framework for village level consultative decision making and representative local
leadership as a basis for interaction within and between communities on the one hand, and with the administration and aid agencies on the other,
(ii) implement social and economic productive activities addressing the basic village needs, and
(iii) develop human capital and livelihood which will improve household welfare.
Norway started supporting the National Area Based Development Programme (NABDP) in 2006, with both a three-year agreement to cover the Faryab province programme (NOK 10.5 mill) and an additional support in 2006 of NOK 8 mill to finance district plans developed by the District Development Assemblies (DDAs). In 2007 the Norwegian Government added non-earmarked support to the national programme with NOK 20 mill for the rest of the programme period until end 2008.
From opening of a Norwegian supported bridge in Baghlan. Photo: M. Dyrud
NABDP, Phase II, will support the implementation of projects in rural areas and their urban centres. Besides enabling the poor to overcome extreme poverty and building sustainable livelihoods, the programme will address the special needs of farmers dependent on poppy cultivation, disarmed militias, returning refugees and especially vulnerable groups in rural areas. For this purpose, partnership will be established with other ministries and key actors to ensure the coordination with other cross-cutting programmes into the broader framework of integrated rural rehabilitation and development as part of the process leading to a national development strategy. The NABDP will contribute to the social and economic development through various initiatives which fall under the pillars in the I-ANDS.
The goal of the programme is to contribute to the sustainable reduction of poverty and improvement of livelihoods in rural Afghanistan by empowering community institutions and to support the establishment of an integrated planning and implementation framework for a comprehensive approach to rural development. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will be the agreement partner for the support to the national NABDP-programme.
Farmer Field School. Photo: Aga Khan Foundation
The purpose of the programme will focus on the following outcomes:
1) To empower rural communities, through community institutions, to articulate and address their needs and priorities in relation to poverty reduction and livelihood improvements. This will be done through participation in rural development planning and implementation processes.
2) To enhance the institutional capacity and technical capability in MRRD to fulfil its task of promoting rural regeneration and livelihoods.
In addition to these two main complementing national programmes, the Norwegian government supports programs implemented by NGOs in different provinces in Afghanistan.
The Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) receives funds from the Norwegian Government for an integrated rural development program in the Faryab province consisting of several projects concerning agriculture and food security. The NCAs program also consist of additional projects focusing on water, sanitation, energy, women empowerment, vocational training and literacy training, which all have been described under other headings at our web-site The same goes for programs in Faryab managed by Dacaar (water, sanitation) and Norwegian Refugee Council (education).
The Aga Khan Foundation receives support for programmes in the provinces of Badakshahn, Baghlan and Bamyan to build Community Development Councils (CDC) capacities, enhanced alternative livelihood options for rural communities and a tourism project in the remote but spectacular Wakhan area. The NCAs program also consists of additional projects focusing on energy and education, which have been described under other headings at our web-site.
The Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) manages a program consisting of several projects concerning agriculture and food security in the provinces of Daikundi and Uruzgan. The NCAs program also consist of additional projects focusing on water, sanitation, energy, women empowerment, vocational training and literacy training, which all have been described under other headings at our web-site. The same goes for programmes in provinces of Ghazni and Badakshahn managed by the Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (education, environment, gender programs)
Other relevante documents:
Norwegian Embassy