ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
2010-12-D-109

For Immediate Release

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KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 10, 2010) — Afghan ministry officials, international assistance organizations and International Security Assistance Force members visited a cold-storage facility in Mazar-e Sharif district, Balkh province to assess its operations and determine how it could better serve the Afghan people.

U.S. Agency for International Development funded and executed the $1 million project, which is scheduled to open Dec. 15, as part of the Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Program. The program aims to construct more development-centric projects.

The facility will be used to keep local farmers’ produce cool and out of the elements until ready to be sold. Without the cold storage, exposure to insects and heat could spoil or damage a farmer’s produce before it gets to market.

The facility will hold up to 70 metric tons of produce and available to any farmer in the area who wants to rent a space. More than 100 farmers are already waiting for the facility to open so they can store their goods.

Beyond storage, the program also aims to help farmers get their products to consumers.

“We have an export program in place for the farmers,” said Fawad Azimi, Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Program program manager for Regional Command North. “There is a high market demand for Afghan fruits in places like India, Dubai and Europe.”

A packing facility is also planned near the storage facility, which will bring more than 50 jobs to local Afghans.