Province 01 of 34 | Northeast
Badakhshan بدخشان
Mountain valleys with long winter isolation; trade concentrates in Fayzabad, Baharak and Kishim. A marketplace that aggregates livestock and dairy before winter closes the passes captures the largest gain.
- Capital
- Fayzabad
- Region
- Northeast
- Area
- 43,367 km²
- Population 2025–26
- 1,150,342
- Density
- 27 per km²
- Districts
- 28
Potential marketplace network Estimated
-
1Kishim Market town
District: Kishim
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 32 km, 55 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 27,180
-
2Baharak Market town
District: Baharak
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 31 km, 48 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 30,183
-
3Yaftal-e Sufla District center
District: Yaftal Sufla
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 24 km, 52 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 21,581
| # | Site | District | Likely role | Lat, Lon | To nearest existing market | Producer HH ≤60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kishim Market town | Kishim | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 36.8178, 70.1014 | 32 km 55 min | 27,180 |
| 2 | Baharak Market town | Baharak | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 36.9953, 70.8933 | 31 km 48 min | 30,183 |
| 3 | Yaftal-e Sufla District center | Yaftal Sufla | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 37.3116, 70.3722 | 24 km 52 min | 21,581 |
Local products and producer groups Strong secondary
- Wheat
- Potato
- Sheep, goats & yak
- Dairy (qurut, butter)
- Apricot & mulberry
- Walnut
Farming system: Livestock & cereal (US$ 600 sales per participating household)
Producer groups: smallholder farmers, livestock and dairy keepers, women's household enterprises, small processors and traders
Crafts: Wool textiles, embroidery, lapis lazuli craft
Market catchment and accessibility Estimated
| Site | HH ≤30 min | HH 30–60 min | HH 60–90 min | Producer HH ≤60 min | Addressable | Underserved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Kishim | 16,187 | 14,468 | 66,085 | 27,180 | 13,770 | 34% |
| 2 Baharak | 15,569 | 25,491 | 9,088 | 30,183 | 13,112 | 30% |
| 3 Yaftal-e Sufla | 7,542 | 22,568 | 18,263 | 21,581 | 8,108 | 32% |
HH = households of 7.7 people (ALCS 2016–17). The primary indicator is producer households within 60 minutes by road.
Infrastructure requirements
Road accessEstimated
Current situation: All 3 sites on a main road
Hard-standing, parking and safe entry from the highway
ElectricityStrong secondary
Current situation: Grid reaches about 40% of Afghans nationally; rural sites mostly off-grid
Solar plus battery for lighting, weighing, phone charging and cold rooms; grid tie where a line passes
Solar potentialStrong secondary
Current situation: About 300 sunny days a year; high irradiance nationwide
Rooftop PV on market sheds (indicative 20 to 60 kWp per site)
Internet & mobileAssumption
Current situation: Mobile connections equal 52% of the population; district centers usually covered
Mobile money and price-information kiosk; verify signal on site
Dry storageEstimated
Current situation: Few formal stores outside provincial centers
Warehouse for wheat, potato with pallets and pest control
Cold storageEstimated
Current situation: Rare outside major cities
Not a first-phase priority; drying yards and ventilated stores instead
Water, sanitation & loadingAssumption
Current situation: Not assessed at site level
Borehole, washing area, separate latrines for women and men; loading bays, livestock pens, certified scales
| Infrastructure | Current situation | Requirement | Evidence status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road access | All 3 sites on a main road | Hard-standing, parking and safe entry from the highway | Estimated |
| Electricity | Grid reaches about 40% of Afghans nationally; rural sites mostly off-grid | Solar plus battery for lighting, weighing, phone charging and cold rooms; grid tie where a line passes | Strong secondary |
| Solar potential | About 300 sunny days a year; high irradiance nationwide | Rooftop PV on market sheds (indicative 20 to 60 kWp per site) | Strong secondary |
| Internet & mobile | Mobile connections equal 52% of the population; district centers usually covered | Mobile money and price-information kiosk; verify signal on site | Assumption |
| Dry storage | Few formal stores outside provincial centers | Warehouse for wheat, potato with pallets and pest control | Estimated |
| Cold storage | Rare outside major cities | Not a first-phase priority; drying yards and ventilated stores instead | Estimated |
| Water, sanitation & loading | Not assessed at site level | Borehole, washing area, separate latrines for women and men; loading bays, livestock pens, certified scales | Assumption |
Economic opportunity and employment Estimated Assumption
| Scenario | Participation | Producer sales | Other trading | Total turnover | Direct jobs | Indirect jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 10% | US$ 2.1 m | US$ 1.1 m | US$ 3 m | 127 | 203 |
| Base | 20% | US$ 4.2 m | US$ 2.1 m | US$ 6 m | 194 | 310 |
| High | 30% | US$ 6.3 m | US$ 3.2 m | US$ 9 m | 261 | 418 |
Site columns are summed. The total is de-duplicated where catchments overlap.
Evidence
Population: strong secondary province totals, estimated catchments. Travel time: estimated from the OpenStreetMap road model. Products: strong secondary. Turnover and jobs: assumption parameters applied to estimated households. Site conditions: unknown until field validation.
Open these pages in the PDF (9–10) | Method, assumptions and sources