Diversifying economic activities in rural areas is considered a key strategy for strengthening resilience and promoting sustainable development in rural communities. This approach not only reduces dependence on one or a few specific sources of income but also expands the range of economic activities, thereby creating diverse employment opportunities for rural residents. In this context, the present survey study was conducted in 2021 with the aim of identifying and analyzing the major barriers to the diversification of rural economic activities. The statistical population of this research consisted of all rural household heads in Kunduz Province. The sample size was determined to be 188 using G*Power software, and cluster sampling was employed. Data were collected through a questionnaire administered via face to face interviews. Exploratory factor analysis was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that the barriers of the urban–rural gap and the low risk taking tendency of rural residents, explaining 24.52% of the variance, followed by educational weaknesses (15.75%), lack of provision of technology and public goods (12.5%), and skill and specialization barriers (7.85%), together explained 60.6% of the variance in barriers to the diversification of rural economic activities in the villages of Kunduz Province. Compared with previous studies, the present research identified more concrete barriers to rural economic diversification. While earlier studies categorized these barriers broadly into social, infrastructural, managerial, environmental, and economic dimensions, this study highlights specific factors. Among them, the low risk taking tendency of rural residents was identified as a key obstacle preventing them from entering new rural occupations. Therefore, policymakers should reduce rural residents’ risk perceptions by supporting the provision of business development services required for emerging rural enterprises and by offering financial support or investment during the transition period. The study also identified agricultural product processing, sewing, and carpet weaving as the most important new employment opportunities that should be considered in rural economic diversification strategies.