The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday approved a $75 million grant to aid the development of the horticulture value chains in Afghanistan, in an aim to empower the farmers, crop producers, and agri-enterprises.
The Horticulture Value Chain Development Sector Project aims to improve agricultural productivity and food security in Afghanistan, and also in the process, help promote business association between agro-businesses and farmers. This project is set to help increase the growth in this particular subsector of horticulture value chains which generally has been lacking adequate finances and infrastructure.
“For the enterprises, the horticulture project will help provide pre-cooling rooms; packhouse, sorting, or grading buildings and equipment; storage facilities; processing equipment and machinery; a quality control accredited laboratory; tissue culture laboratory; and an introduction to international best practices for horticulture processing plants. As part of the risk-sharing mechanism and sustainable financial management of the project, selected enterprises will have to contribute 50% of subproject costs and implementation,” the grant statement by ADB added.
Farmers are also going to benefit significantly from this project.
Thus, this project has three-pronged benefits; to agri-enterprises, to farmers and for a larger cause of better food security and boosting the export potential of Afghanistan.
