Abstract

Afghan labors, a significant labor force in Killa Abdullah’s agricultural sector, has profound implications for local agricultural productivity and economic stability. This study investigated the aftermath of Afghan refugee’s repatriation on the agricultural sector of Killa Abdullah, Balochistan. Utilizing a qualitative approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with landowners, using thematic analysis to extract key insights. The results showed that Afghan refugees were integral to daily agricultural work, with the majority contributing more than 20 hours a week, their departure has led to significant labor shortages. The labor costs have increased as a result of repatriation, with local labor costs appearing higher than Afghan labor. This increase in cost, along with a potential reduction in productivity, poses challenges for landowners. The transition to a new labor force creates particular difficulties for owners who are not directly involved in agricultural practices, particularly involved in other businesses and jobs. Those directly involved can arrange to involve family members or other local people to deal with labor shortages. The result also suggests that repatriation of Afghan refugees poses challenges for landowners due to low skilled and experienced labor. The landowner faces transition challenge that the majority of respondents it affects the crops production for the short period of time, while in the long run the local labors may cope labor gap. The result also suggest that the management works have not affected because these activities also performed by local and labors from the other regions.