AJMAL SHIRZAI
Research Professor, Future Generations Afghanistan Country Director
shirzai@future.edu
Education
Ph. D Candidate, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherland
Master of Art (M.A.), Future Generations University, West Virginia, USA
Master of Science (MSc), Purbanchal University, Nepal
Bachelor of Science (BSc), Kabul University, Afghanistan
Biography
Mr. Shirzai is specialist in rural development and applied community change and conservation with over 30 years of experience in program design, NGOs management and leadership in Afghanistan and abroad. He completed a master degree in rural development in Nepal and another master degree program in Applied community change and conservation in U.S.A.
Ajmal Shirzai is a specialist in rural development and community change with over 30 years of experience in program design, NGO management, and leadership in Afghanistan and abroad. He holds master’s degrees in Rural Development (Purbanchal University, Nepal) and Applied Community Change and Conservation (Future Generations University, USA), and earned a Ph.D. in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Mr. Shirzai began his academic career as a scholar at Kabul University in the 1980s and later worked with several international and national NGOs. From 1995 to 2006, he served as Country Representative of Ockenden International in Afghanistan and Nepal, leading programs and research on displacement, food security, and rural livelihoods. From 2007 to 2010, he was Strategic Planning Advisor at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) and later Head of the Afghanistan Institute for Rural Development (AIRD).
Since 2011, he has served as Country Director of Future Generations Afghanistan, leading initiatives in renewable energy, food security, women’s empowerment, and local governance. His work bridges academic research and community-based practice, contributing to sustainable development and peacebuilding in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
Dr. Shirzai has authored numerous studies and reports on renewable energy diffusion, social resilience, and community development. His doctoral dissertation, Diffusion of Solar Energy in Conflict-Affected Regions: The Case of Afghanistan (2005–2020), was completed at Erasmus University Rotterdam. He has co-authored national policy and evaluation studies for UNDP and the Global Environment Facility and led applied research for the U.S. Institute of Peace, the French Embassy, and Future Generations Afghanistan. Earlier, he conducted field-based research and publications on forced migration, displacement, and rural livelihoods across Afghanistan and Nepal—reflecting his lifelong commitment to community empowerment and sustainable change.
Researches and Publications
- Country Program Strategy of Small Grant Program (2016-2018) For Afghanistan, Global Environmental Facilities, UNDP, Afghanistan.
- Review and evaluation Report of Small Grant Program (2013-2015) of Global Environmental Facilities, UNDP, Afghanistan.
- Baseline report of USIP funded project on “Promote Social Cohesion and Cultural Competency of Badpakh Communities for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Laghman Province in Eastern Afghanistan”, USIP, Afghanistan, 2015.
- “Concept of Nutrition and Food Security”, Training Guidance for female teachers and women, French Embassy and Future Generations, Kabul, Afghanistan, April 2014
- Engaging Community Resilience for Security, Development and Peace building in Afghanistan (Research Report), Future Generations, January 2014
- “Strengthening Synergy and Coordination among Local Governance Institution in Afghanistan” Future Generations Graduation School, West Virginia, USA, April 2013.
- Review on Afghanistan Development Plans, published in MRRD’s magazine (Dekada), 4th quarter, 2010
- “Assessing Rural Development initiatives in Afghanistan”: Exploring Future Opportunities, CIRDAP, Dhaka, Bangladesh. October 2009.
- “Analysis of Causes and Dynamics of Forced Migration in Midwestern Region”, Nepal, SAIT, Kathmandu, Nepal, February 2006
- “Displacement in Afghanistan, PM paper published in book title” Forced Migration in the South Asian Region: Displacement, Human Rights and Conflict Resolution”, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India, 2004
- “The Issues of Displacement and Internally Displaced Persons in Nepal”, Published in Charter Publication Souvenir, Rotary Club of Jawala khel, Nepal, September 2003
- “RRA Research in the Central and Northern Afghanistan”, Ockenden International, January 2001
- “Fruit Catalogue of Western Afghanistan”, Ockenden International – Afghanistan, September 2000
- “PRA Research report in Engil District, Herat province, Afghanistan”, Ockenden International, May 1999
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