A Afghan farmer at the fourth International AgFair held in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 07, 2010. Afghanistan is home to one of the fastest growing agricultural markets in Central Asia and the fair was a great opportunity for Afghans to show and sale their products. (ISAF photo by SSGT BEAULINETTE French Army/released)

ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
2010-10-ED-098 For Immediate Release

KABUL, Afghanistan (Oct. 9) - The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock brought together farmers, herders and salesmen with potential buyers at the International Agriculture Fair 2010 at Badam Bagh Fairgrounds here, Wednesday-Friday.

The fair allowed Afghans to showcase their products to an international audience, with people from around the world coming to observe, taste and smell the assortment of items for sale from throughout the country.

Everything from fruits and vegetables, to live stock and handmade carpets were displayed by the owners for potential buyers and investors.

Previous fairs were set-up, and maintained with NATO and International Security Assistance Force assistance, but the next one is scheduled to be completely Afghan led.

"We implement agriculture fairs to have investors invest in Afghanistan, buy agriculture products and do business here," said Hilmand Baryal, Cashmere Value Chain deputy director, and AgFair director. "Basically it is an organized opportunity for Afghan people and international people to do business in Afghanistan."

These fairs assist Afghanistan's development and economy by providing farmers with an opportunity to sell their goods directly to the buyer. Before fairs like this, farmers sold their products to an individual who would sell it to many distributors.

Afghan farmers and salesmen have to sell their products much cheaper when it goes through many hands. Selling directly to the buyer cuts out the middle man and puts more money in the farmer's hands.

"It was the Afghan people who encouraged the AgFairs," said Baryal. "These fairs bring hope to the Afghan people."

Not only do the fairs provide hope to the Afghan people by cutting out the middle man, but the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock also uses the AgFairs to provide Afghans and foreigners the opportunity to exchange ideas on how to improve agricultural production and agribusiness in Afghanistan and demonstrate improved technologies and inputs. AgFairs are a catalyst for investment in the country's agriculture sector, facilitating trade, and introducing new technologies and inputs.

This was the fourth AgFair held in Kabul, with the previous fair hosting 220 exhibitors, 70 international business representatives and more than 120,000 visitors. The previous ten fairs have attracted almost half a million visitors from across Afghanistan and around the world.