The role of extension workers regarding tomato production in Nangarhar Province-Afghanistan was investigated with the objectives to know the current situation of tomato cultivation and production, study the role of extension services in creating awareness regarding improved practices to increase tomato production and pinpoint the constraints hindering tomato cultivation and production in the study area. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the sample for this study. Four villages were purposively selected i.e. Qalai Janan Khan, Qalai Ishaq, Khushgumbad and Saracha Ali Khan based on tomato cultivation. Proportionate allocation technique was followed, total of 114 respondents were selected as a sample. Data were collected through well-designed interview schedule, which were analyzed through SPSS v.20 and excel. The demographic attributes revealed that majority of the respondents were illiterate (51.8%), 50% respondents were from age group of up to 30 years, having household size of above 12 members (53.5%). Majority (65.8%) respondents were tenants with 54.4% having farming experience of 10 years and above. Area under tomato cultivation of 42.1% respondents was 1.1-2 acres, majority (92.9%) tomato growers used traditional method of tomato cultivation. Majority (57.1%) respondents’ tomato yield was between 10,001-12,000 kg/acre, while 32.5% respondents’ net income was above 160,001 AFN/acre. Only 37.7% respondents reported visits of extension staff to farmers’ field, while only 41.2% respondents received trainings from extension department. It is concluded that majority of the farmers were using HYVs, but they did not adopt the whole package of recommended technology of tomato in the study area. Farmers-Extension contact was un-satisfactory. The role of extension agents regarding tomato production in the study area was poor. Non-availability of quality seeds, lack of fertilizers, pest and diseases, improper marketing, lack of cold storage, high prices of inputs, lack of credit, insufficient information were the major problems tomato farmer in the study area were confronting. The study recommends that Afghan government should subsidize costly inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, quality seeds, and modern agricultural machinery and should made it available at reasonable prices and timely in local market. Extension staff should make regular and frequent visits to ensure the dissemination of latest farming practices to farming community.

Key Words: Tomato production, extension staff, Farmer- Extension contact