Afghanistan 2002
06/06/2002

Many farmers in areas of return have received seeds and fertilizer, but traders, most of whom have lost their shops and lack supplies, have not received assistance to rebuild the markets—an integral and necessary part of rural development. This shopkeeper explained to RI, “I returned to Shaidan [near Bamyan] about 1 month ago. I came here without any assistance, but I have received some food and some seeds. Look around you. All these buildings are destroyed. My shop is gone and my house is gone. I am nothing now. I was a professional, a shopkeeper. I don’t know how to be a farmer. I can’t even construct my house so there is no way I can rebuild my shop. I want to be a shopkeeper again.” Aid agencies should diversify their reintegration programs and make market reconstruction and small-scale commerce a priority, in addition to agriculture.