The purpose of this AREU briefing paper is to highlight the need for policy makers to adopt localised and participatory approaches to resolve burning land conflicts in rural Afghanistan. It is essential that land policies and strategies that are adopted by the central government are both practically workable and relevant to the majority of rural land families. Approaches to land management in rural Afghanistan that leave decision-making to remote, centralised planning in Kabul, no matter how well financially supported, will not achieve the desired results.