<p>Livestock plays a vital role in Afghanistan’s economy and food security. Livestock sector is supporting livelihoods for over 60% of rural households. Despite the sector’s importance, productivity remains relatively lower due to suboptimal livestock genetics, limited veterinary services, and poor infrastructure. This review employed thematic narrative review of existing literature to present and document recent evidence on Afghanistan’s livestock sector within the framework of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT). This review is focussed on identifying factors within and beyond Afghanistan affecting the livestock sector. In addition, this article analyzes relevant socioeconomic factors driving the livestock production. This article also examines intervention strategies to increase productivity and strengthen resilience. The strengths of the livestock sector in Afghanistan include several and diverse indigenous breeds and extensive local wisdom, where as limited veterinary services and market barriers shows weaknesses of the sector. Expanding export markets and donor support presents significant opportunities, whereas the ongoing conflict, lack of education, climate change, and the recurrent disease outbreaks threatens the sector progress severely. Managing these factors will allow the sector to grow to its full potential thereby improving food security. The study examines the effects of socioeconomic conditions, gender norms, political instability, and post-2021 governance changes on sector resilience. While emerging genetic technologies offer potential long-term benefits, their feasibility is constrained by cost, infrastructure, technical knowhow, and regulatory limitations. The findings highlight the need for appropriate interventions that prioritize indigenous breeds, community-based services, and capacity building to increase productivity and improve livelihoods under the current socio-economic and political conditions.</p>