Poverty and unemployment are identified as the driving forces behind insecurity, and it is necessary that these issues should be addressed as a priority. Some people participate in insurgent activities to acquire an income. Joining anti-government elements or undertaking other illegal activities, such as drug production and trafficking, is often more lucrative, and with immediate returns, than struggling with farming or working in the informal sector for low wages. The practical dilemma in implementing the new strategy is that food and agriculture problems cannot be separated from problems caused by conflict, corruption, and narcotics trafficking.

According to a report published by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), some 9 million Afghans – 36 per cent of the population – are believed to live in absolute poverty and a further 37 per cent live only slightly above the poverty line, despite an estimated injection of billions of dollars in previous years. Afghanistan has the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world and the third highest rate of child mortality. Only 23 per cent of the population has access to safe drinking water, and only 24 per cent of Afghans above the age of 15 can read and write, with much lower literacy rates among women and nomadic populations.

Formerly, the World Bank Group (WBG) chief, Jim Yong Kim, met with President Hamid Karzai and other senior officials, committed to helping the Afghans to promote growth and reduce poverty during and after the withdrawal of Western security forces in 2014. He said they would support programs in areas that the Afghan government had identified as crucial to meeting its development goals, including education, health, irrigation, energy, infrastructure and rural development.

"We are also focused on improving the government’s capacity to deliver services to its citizens, and on fostering a business climate that unleashes the job-creating potential of the private sector,” Kim said. His discussions with Afghan leaders focused on the need to engender strong, inclusive economic growth, reduce poverty, create jobs and fight corruption. Kim also emphasized that prudent fiscal policy and budget planning will help the government sustainably and finance its development operations.

The national and international financiers and donors are willing to extend their services, businesses and aids, provided that the government ensures a corruption free and a transparent system operating efficiently. If confidence is installed in them and safeguards to maltreatments are rendered, only then the government can attract the international investors. Following a transparent undertaking in governmental business, the financiers, donors and investors may actively contribute to poverty alleviation by creating job opportunities. The government is consequently held responsible to take poverty alleviating measures by making the use of all possible steps.