Province 17 of 34 | Southeast

Khost خوست

A dense, remittance-supported province on the Pakistan border. Produce and pine nut aggregation away from Khost city benefits the upland districts.

Capital: Khost
Region: Southeast
Area: 4,110 km²
Population 2025–26: 694,197
Density: 169 per km²
Districts: 13

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

US$ 4.2 m

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 2.1 m to US$ 6.3 m)

20,020

addressable producer households (74,156 within 60 min)

99,374

underserved rural people brought within 60 min

153

direct jobs, base case (+245 indirect)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Shamal District center

District: Shamal

Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers

To nearest existing market: 29 km, 48 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 46,032

33.3151, 69.5317
2Musa Khel District center

District: Mosa Khail

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 26 km, 62 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 14,518

33.5868, 69.6900
3Jaji Maydan District center

District: Jaji Maidan

Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers

To nearest existing market: 31 km, 65 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 15,077

33.6289, 70.0864

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH ≤60 min
1	Shamal District center	Shamal	Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers	33.3151, 69.5317	29 km 48 min	46,032
2	Musa Khel District center	Mosa Khail	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	33.5868, 69.6900	26 km 62 min	14,518
3	Jaji Maydan District center	Jaji Maidan	Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers	33.6289, 70.0864	31 km 65 min	15,077

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Wheat & maize
Rice
Vegetables
Pine nut
Cattle, goats & poultry

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: Woodwork, 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 Shamal	7,049	46,399	59,832	46,032	7,898	4%
2 Musa Khel	5,669	10,200	60,187	14,518	7,657	54%
3 Jaji Maydan	3,066	13,188	53,583	15,077	4,598	14%

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 & maize, rice 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	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 & maize, rice 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$ 1.5 m	US$ 590 k	US$ 2.1 m	106	170
Base	20%	US$ 3 m	US$ 1.2 m	US$ 4.2 m	153	245
High	30%	US$ 4.5 m	US$ 1.8 m	US$ 6.3 m	199	318

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 (41–42) | Method, assumptions and sources