Province 07 of 34 | West

Farah فراه

Irrigated strips along the Farah and Khash rivers with long distances between settlements. Livestock and cumin collection points reduce long trips to Farah city and Herat.

Capital: Farah
Region: West
Area: 40,905 km²
Population 2025–26: 615,154
Density: 15 per km²
Districts: 11

Map of candidate marketplace sites and their road catchments in Farah — Orange pin: candidate site. Olive shading: 60-minute catchment (dotted line: 30 minutes). Square: provincial center. Circle: existing market. Brown shading: population density.

US$ 2.8 m

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 1.4 m to US$ 4.2 m)

13,264

addressable producer households (16,881 within 60 min)

121,625

underserved rural people brought within 60 min

122

direct jobs, base case (+195 indirect)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Farah Rud Market town

District: Bala Buluk

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 32 km, 92 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 8,997

32.7556, 62.5909
2Sultan Bakwa Market town

District: Bakwa

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 70 km, 123 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 4,483

32.2414, 62.9494
3Qal'a-i-Kah Market town

District: Qala Ka

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 56 km, 95 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 3,401

32.2931, 61.5271

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH ≤60 min
1	Farah Rud Market town	Bala Buluk	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	32.7556, 62.5909	32 km 92 min	8,997
2	Sultan Bakwa Market town	Bakwa	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	32.2414, 62.9494	70 km 123 min	4,483
3	Qal'a-i-Kah Market town	Qala Ka	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	32.2931, 61.5271	56 km 95 min	3,401

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Wheat
Cumin
Melon & watermelon
Onion
Sheep, goats & camels

Farming system: Mixed farming (US$ 750 sales per participating household)

Producer groups: smallholder farmers, livestock and dairy keepers, women's household enterprises, small processors and traders

Crafts: Carpets, embroidery

Market catchment and accessibility Estimated

Site	HH ≤30 min	HH 30–60 min	HH 60–90 min	Producer HH ≤60 min	Addressable	Underserved
1 Farah Rud	4,802	5,225	4,414	8,997	6,253	70%
2 Sultan Bakwa	4,243	861	2,273	4,483	4,161	100%
3 Qal'a-i-Kah	2,228	1,481	2,217	3,401	2,851	99%

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, cumin 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, cumin 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$ 995 k	US$ 402 k	US$ 1.4 m	91	146
Base	20%	US$ 2 m	US$ 805 k	US$ 2.8 m	122	195
High	30%	US$ 3 m	US$ 1.2 m	US$ 4.2 m	153	245

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 (21–22) | Method, assumptions and sources