Province 16 of 34 | Central
Kapisa کاپیسا
A small, dense horticultural province close to Kabul. Collection and packing points in the Tagab and Nijrab valleys can supply Kabul wholesale buyers directly.
- Capital
- Mahmud-i-Raqi
- Region
- Central
- Area
- 1,879 km²
- Population 2025–26
- 532,235
- Density
- 283 per km²
- Districts
- 7
Potential marketplace network Estimated
-
1Koh Band Market town
District: Koh Band
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 11 km, 44 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 120,847
-
2Tagab District center
District: Tagab
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 19 km, 24 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 60,481
| # | Site | District | Likely role | Lat, Lon | To nearest existing market | Producer HH ≤60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koh Band Market town | Koh Band | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 35.1092, 69.4334 | 11 km 44 min | 120,847 |
| 2 | Tagab District center | Tagab | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 34.7945, 69.6692 | 19 km 24 min | 60,481 |
Local products and producer groups Strong secondary
- Grape & raisin
- Pomegranate (Tagab)
- Mulberry
- Vegetables
- Wheat
Farming system: Irrigated horticulture (US$ 950 sales per participating household)
Producer groups: smallholder farmers, livestock and dairy keepers, women's household enterprises, small processors and traders
Crafts: Embroidery, pottery
Market catchment and accessibility Estimated
| Site | HH ≤30 min | HH 30–60 min | HH 60–90 min | Producer HH ≤60 min | Addressable | Underserved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Koh Band | 42,901 | 106,879 | 279,262 | 120,847 | 17,223 | 0% |
| 2 Tagab | 24,530 | 44,257 | 707,049 | 60,481 | 11,320 | 1% |
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 2 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 grape & raisin, pomegranate (tagab) with pallets and pest control
Cold storageEstimated
Current situation: Rare outside major cities
Solar cold room or evaporative store for fruit, vegetables and dairy
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 2 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 grape & raisin, pomegranate (tagab) with pallets and pest control | Estimated |
| Cold storage | Rare outside major cities | Solar cold room or evaporative store for fruit, vegetables and dairy | 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$ 2.7 m | US$ 859 k | US$ 3.2 m | 110 | 176 |
| Base | 20% | US$ 5.4 m | US$ 1.7 m | US$ 6.3 m | 181 | 290 |
| High | 30% | US$ 8.1 m | US$ 2.6 m | US$ 9.5 m | 251 | 402 |
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 (39–40) | Method, assumptions and sources