ReliefWeb

OVERVIEW

The RADP-South initiative promoted sustainable economic growth for rural Afghans through increasing productivity and market linkages.

ACTIVITIES

RADP-South was designed to improve the incomes and productivity of rural smallholder farmers in Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, and Zabul Provinces. RADP-South promoted market-led agricultural growth, improved food security and nutrition, and increased women’s participation in key agricultural value chains and worked with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to improve collaboration between the public and private sectors and encourage policy reforms to encourage growth of the agricultural sector. Interventions centered on the value chains of wheat, high value crops, and livestock, from the input suppliers and producers to the exporters and processors, to increase profits and competitiveness. This approach strengthened agricultural value chains so farmers could increase production, connect with agribusinesses, and market their products. Women were integrated throughout the program, even in processing and marketing outside the home.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Trained over 93,000 smallholders in improved production, entrepreneurship, marketing, and postharvest handling, enabling them to improved production and natural resource management on over 13,428 hectares
• Worked with over 110 agribusinesses to improve their business potential and supported over USD $88 million in commodity sales, including exports
• Operationalized 95 Veterinary Field Units (VFUs), expanding basic veterinary services across the target provinces and improving the health of the livestock value chain
• Furthered the development and implementation of the National Irrigation Policy, National Poultry Policy, Plant Variety Protection Law, and National Livestock Development Strategy/Plan through provision of strategic technical assistance to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan