Province 10 of 34 | West-Central
Ghor غور
Ghor is among the most remote provinces. Rural households travel far to sell animals, so periodic livestock and produce markets in district hubs give the largest welfare gain.
- Capital
- Firozkoh (Chaghcharan)
- Region
- West-Central
- Area
- 38,864 km²
- Population 2025–26
- 847,731
- Density
- 22 per km²
- Districts
- 10
Potential marketplace network Estimated
-
1Lal Market town
District: Lal Wa Sarjangal
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 84 km, 208 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 12,187
-
2Taywarah District center
District: Taywara
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 138 km, 362 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 7,115
-
3Shahrak Market town
District: Shahrak
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 98 km, 281 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 5,912
| # | Site | District | Likely role | Lat, Lon | To nearest existing market | Producer HH ≤60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lal Market town | Lal Wa Sarjangal | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 34.5014, 66.2800 | 84 km 208 min | 12,187 |
| 2 | Taywarah District center | Taywara | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 33.5101, 64.3824 | 138 km 362 min | 7,115 |
| 3 | Shahrak Market town | Shahrak | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 34.1074, 64.3052 | 98 km 281 min | 5,912 |
Local products and producer groups Strong secondary
- Wheat
- Potato
- Sheep & goats
- Dairy
- Almond (lower valleys)
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: Gelims, 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 Lal | 14,074 | 583 | 8,980 | 12,187 | 11,970 | 100% |
| 2 Taywarah | 7,162 | 1,053 | 3,466 | 7,115 | 6,723 | 100% |
| 3 Shahrak | 6,388 | 691 | 677 | 5,912 | 5,657 | 100% |
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: 2 of 3 sites on a main road; others on rural roads or tracks
All-weather access road, hard-standing and turning area for trucks
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 | 2 of 3 sites on a main road; others on rural roads or tracks | All-weather access road, hard-standing and turning area for trucks | 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$ 1.5 m | US$ 784 k | US$ 2.2 m | 110 | 176 |
| Base | 20% | US$ 2.9 m | US$ 1.6 m | US$ 4.5 m | 160 | 256 |
| High | 30% | US$ 4.4 m | US$ 2.4 m | US$ 6.7 m | 210 | 336 |
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 (27–28) | Method, assumptions and sources