Farmers in Afghanistan face several critical challenges, including a lack of essential agricultural inputs and services as well as a lack of access to cash markets and credit. Though many businesses sell agricultural inputs, the present system is fragmented and ineffective. Most dealers offer a limited variety of products (mainly fertilizer) and technical and marketing services.

Through the $9.4 million USAID-funded Afghanistan Farm Service Alliance (AFSA), CNFA is building a Farm Service Center (FSC) network that is providing input supply and output marketing services and linkages to rural farmers in 17 provinces. In its first two years, AFSA has launched a network of seven FSC that are reaching over 45,000 farmers, providing enhanced access to productivity enhancing inputs and extension training, along with access to information, finance, and cash markets.

Local Ownership, Local Empowerment

The key to CNFA’s successful model in Afghanistan is local empowerment, capacity building and ownership. For instance, grants from the program have totaled $400,000 for the seven stores, but the FSC owners themselves have contributed over $17 million of their own resources, a leverage ratio of over 42:1. Further, being privately owned enterprises, FSC success depends on the demands of the marketplace. FSC owners are continually assessing and meeting local demand by adding more services to their stores, securing their position in the rural value chain.

Building a National Association to Represent FSC Interests

CNFA has facilitated the creation of the Farm Service Center Association of Afghanistan (FSCAA), which sets standards for stores and allows them a vehicle to jointly pursue opportunities. FSCAA has elected a Board of Directors and association officers and mobilized task groups for marketing and advertising; new business development; output marketing; and extension and training.

Expanding the Program into New Provinces

To date, the seven existing AFSA FSCs have created 250 full-time equivalent jobs, benefited over 45,000 rural farming households, trained 16,000 individuals in agricultural productivity, and provided pesticide safe use training to over 150 participants, including farmers, FSC employees and AFSA project staff. Sales of products through the FSCs have $25 million. AFSA is expanding the farm store network to 10 new stores that will serve an additional 30,000 farm families.

Bringing Economic Power to Women in Agriculture

The expansion will also build on the success of the Kabul Women’s Farm Service Center, established by CNFA in February 2010. The store, entirely staffed and owned by women, sells products geared toward women's traditional productive activities, including handicrafts, food curing and processing, charcoal making equipment, embroidery and sewing, jams and jellies, and baking. Social convention in Afghanistan has long prevented women from purchasing their own farm inputs and receiving extension services since most input supply stores and government extension programs are staffed entirely by men and are therefore not accessible to women. The Kabul Women's Farm Service Center (FSC) will benefit 16,000 women by offering a unique opportunity for them to economically empower themselves through agro-enterprise. The project expansion will seek out other opportunities for women-owned stores throughout the new provinces, whether as independent stores or as extensions of provincial stores.

Related Links

Afganistan Farm Service Alliance website

New Farm Store in Afghanistan Puts Local Needs First

Program Overview: Afghanistan Farm Store Alliance (PDF)

Updated 6/2009