Drought and its economic ramifications: analyzing the effects on rural households in Andar district, Ghazni province, Afghanistan

The drought has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities in the agricultural sector, which is crucial for the livelihood of many rural communities. The study aimed to investigate the economic impacts of prolonged droughts, a pressing issue for Afghanistan's rural communities. The study was conducted in the Andar district of Ghazni province, specifically in the Yarghto area. It used a survey approach, collecting pertinent data with a questionnaire organised on a Likert scale. The study employed the Cochran formula and cluster sampling to select a sample size of 237 heads of households, primarily engaged in agriculture. These individuals were selected for their ability to complete the questionnaire and their role as breadwinners. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27. The study indicates that droughts have had a significant impact on the rural economy, particularly on farmers' livelihoods in the examined area. The findings suggest that the economic consequences of drought are significant in reducing agricultural output, with a mean score of 4.55 in the first place, followed by increasing costs of groundwater extraction, averaging 4.26 in the second place; the impact of drought on reducing farmers' income and the adverse effects of them on rainfed wheat, with an average of 4.19 in the third place; adverse effects of drought on the livestock sector, which average 4.14 in the fourth place; and reducing the cultivation of arable land, averaging 4.10 in the fifth place. Future policies should prioritise economic diversification, despite agricultural development, and offer financial support to farmers to enhance their drought resilience.