Published in the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, this study aimed to assess the feasibility of collective vegetable gardening into an existing development program for adolescent girls as a means of improving awareness about health and nutrition and increasing vegetable consumption in Afghanistan. A one and half year pilot study tested the feasibility of layering an intervention that combined agricultural training and input support in Kabul, Parwan and Kapisa regions on an adolescent program implemented by a non-government organization. The study included 400 adolescent girls for a survey and qualitative tools to understand the local context of adolescent girls’ participation in vegetable cultivation. The assessment demonstrates the evidence that despite the challenging situation and traditional culture in Afghanistan, the pilot had successfully engaged almost all of the adolescent girls in collective vegetable cultivation by making them aware of health, nutrition and the usefulness of vegetable consumption while noting the bad effects of not consuming those vegetables. Furthermore, the cultivation proved itself financially viable and very much effective for the community, though there were some challenges. The pilot would be feasible and scalable to address the malnutrition and girls’ marginalization if these challenges are taken into consideration carefully.
Authors: Alim, Md. Abdul; Hossain, M. Anowar
Type: Journal Article
Year: 2018
