Press Release

Badakshan’s First Agricultural Fair Expected to Draw Over 5,000 Attendees

Badakhshan hosts the province's first ever Agricultural Fair

Faizabad, Badakhshan  | Monday, October 29, 2007

FAIZABAD, BADAKHSHAN - On October 29-30, 2007, thousands of people are expected to converge on the newly restored National Olympic Committee Football Field in Faizabad for Badakhshan province’s first ever Agricultural Fair (AgFair).  Hosted by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Badakhshan AgFair is projected to attract over 5,000 visitors over its two-day span.  In this mountainous and remote province, the AgFair presents an exceptional opportunity for farmers to connect with agro-entrepreneurs, learn modern commercial farming techniques, and enjoy good food and entertainment.

Arbab Zarif, leader of the 654-member Makhfi farm cooperative in Qara Quzi village of Faizabad district, declared enthusiastically that “having an agriculture fair is an important step towards the development of Badakhshan’s farmers and traders.”  He added, “We are very grateful to USAID for the chance to exhibit our improved varieties of seeds and vegetables.  We hope that [as a result of the fair] national and international traders will contact us directly to purchase our agricultural products.”

The Badakhshan fair is the latest in a series of popular and successful AgFairs in major Afghan cities.  In keeping with the overall AgFair mission of encouraging public-private partnerships in agriculture, the 100 exhibitors at the Badakhshan fair will include government departments, private businesses, traders, NGOs, and farmers' cooperatives from all over Badakhshan province.  Notable exhibitors include producers of fine-quality tthan cloth; women-run food processing businesses; fruit drying enterprises; NGOs offering veterinary and agricultural advice; and vendors of products including fertilizer, farm equipment, and solar cells.

Eng. Mohammad Alim, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture, commented, “We are glad for this opportunity for the farmers of Badakhshan to show and market their products.  This fair provides an important linkage between the farmers, cooperatives, traders, and international organizations.”

The AgFair will also feature a wide range of expert demonstrations.  Badakhshan’s many orchard farmers will benefit from demonstrations of modern fruit-drying techniques.  Women fair-goers can see a hands-on presentation of gabion-wire weaving, which provides a rare opportunity for local women to earn an income in the construction industry. 

Badakhshani singers and entertainers will be performing over the two days of the fair.  There will be two food courts, and street vendors selling traditional Afghan snacks.