[{"bbox": [143, 148, 1086, 323], "category": "Text", "text": "Panj-Amu program under DCI-ASIE/2012/023-449 (EUR 45 Million), and the \"EU Support to Agriculture and Rural Development in Afghanistan\" ACA/2014/37581 (EUR 102,5 Million) currently contribute to the nexus between agriculture and natural resources management and will be completed by this action. Intervention in forest and rangeland management will cover areas not accessible by the ADB/EU program and renewable energy intervention will represent a pilot that could be then up scaled in future actions."}, {"bbox": [143, 328, 1086, 558], "category": "Text", "text": "The present initiative builds upon a long-standing EU contribution in the Rural Development and Sub-National Governance (SNG) sectors, with commitments worth EUR 90 Million (DCI-ASIE/2013/024-392) towards the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development. These initiatives, including the National Rural Access Programme (NRAP), the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) and the Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Programme (AREDP), represent an effort to revitalize rural economy by constructing rural infrastructures, establishing small-scale community assets to improve living conditions and productivity and providing credit in rural areas."}, {"bbox": [143, 565, 1086, 712], "category": "Text", "text": "The proposed programme will benefit from ongoing EU-funded research in Afghanistan, aimed at understanding the technical, social and economic aspects of integrated water management, rangeland management, access to rural electricity, and the complex dynamics of the relationship between pastoralists and farmers. Finally, links will be established with EU investment in public administration reforms targeting impact on service delivery at the provincial and district levels."}, {"bbox": [143, 717, 1017, 747], "category": "Text", "text": "The programme complements several bilateral programmes developed by other donors:"}, {"bbox": [181, 754, 1085, 813], "category": "List-item", "text": "* USAID's Regional Agricultural Development Program seeks to develop markets in important regional value chains;"}, {"bbox": [181, 814, 1085, 902], "category": "List-item", "text": "* UK's Department for International Development (DFID)'s and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)'s CARD-F programme support to Economic Development Plans and investments in agriculture in selected areas;"}, {"bbox": [181, 903, 1086, 990], "category": "List-item", "text": "* GIZ programmes supporting i) the renewable energy policy implementation with increased sustainable electricity production in rural areas and ii) the development of agriculture value chains."}, {"bbox": [143, 995, 1085, 1109], "category": "Text", "text": "The added value of the present programme will be a stronger linkage between ecosystem management and renewable energy issues to address directly Climate change mitigation and adaptation developing sustainable economic opportunities for local communities in targeted rural areas."}, {"bbox": [143, 1117, 1085, 1206], "category": "Text", "text": "Finally, donor coordination is substantial as EU Delegation chairs the Agriculture and Rural Development Working Group, and co-chairs with the Directorate General for Natural Resource Management (NRM), the NRM Working Group."}, {"bbox": [143, 1218, 417, 1248], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 3.3 Cross-cutting issues"}, {"bbox": [143, 1257, 1086, 1549], "category": "Text", "text": "**Environment, Biodiversity and Climate Change:** As per the Rio marker definitions, climate change adaptation, climate change mitigation, biodiversity and combatting desertification are the principal objectives of the program. The program aims at maintaining and strengthening the adaptive potential of key ecosystems to climate change by preserving their natural biodiversity and preventing and reversing desertification through the development of sustainable management of rangelands, woodlands and arable agriculture and the reduction of biomass extraction for heating and cooking. Prevention of degradation and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity will support the climate change adaptation of land-use, improve water storage capacity of the landscape, reduce erosion and flooding and ensure the availability of ecosystem services for the society within the program region and beyond. This action will contribute to"}, {"bbox": [597, 1605, 633, 1629], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "[11]"}]