Afghanistan is a predominantly rural country, with over 75 percent of the country’s inhabitants living in rural areas. A staggering 85 percent of Afghan households depend on agriculture for their livelihood. However, despite formidable reconstruction efforts, Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world. It has been in a state of protracted crisis for decades and rural areas have been particularly affected. Agricultural productivity remains far below its potential, because farms lack access to productive resources, markets and technical knowledge needed to increase their productivity and incomes. As a result, 45 percent of all rural Afghans live below the national poverty line. The project was implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock’s (MAIL) Programme Implementation and Coordination Unit (PICU). The project organized 7,000 beneficiaries into Common Interest Groups (CIGs), and equipped these CIGs to support their members’ livelihoods. Implementing agencies worked with each CIG to develop a common livelihood strategy, and identify the inputs and skills needed to bring this strategy to life.