Province 18 of 34 | East
Kunar کنر ها
The narrow Kunar valley concentrates settlement along one road. Upper-valley marketplaces cut travel to Asadabad for honey, walnut and livestock sellers.
- Capital
- Asadabad
- Region
- East
- Area
- 4,217 km²
- Population 2025–26
- 544,839
- Density
- 129 per km²
- Districts
- 15
Potential marketplace network Estimated
-
1Ghaziabad Market town
District: Ghaziabad
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 34 km, 55 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 18,465
-
2Chawkay District center
District: Chawkay
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 28 km, 64 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 23,649
-
3Wama District center
District: Chapa Dara
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 27 km, 76 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 5,279
| # | Site | District | Likely role | Lat, Lon | To nearest existing market | Producer HH ≤60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ghaziabad Market town | Ghaziabad | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 35.1464, 71.3910 | 34 km 55 min | 18,465 |
| 2 | Chawkay District center | Chawkay | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 34.7422, 70.8675 | 28 km 64 min | 23,649 |
| 3 | Wama District center | Chapa Dara | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 35.1038, 70.7167 | 27 km 76 min | 5,279 |
Local products and producer groups Strong secondary
- Rice
- Maize & wheat
- Walnut
- Honey
- Goats & cattle
- Vegetables
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, mats
Market catchment and accessibility Estimated
| Site | HH ≤30 min | HH 30–60 min | HH 60–90 min | Producer HH ≤60 min | Addressable | Underserved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Ghaziabad | 7,643 | 14,644 | 19,250 | 18,465 | 7,565 | 29% |
| 2 Chawkay | 3,601 | 22,374 | 31,505 | 23,649 | 6,178 | 3% |
| 3 Wama | 2,176 | 3,554 | 8,280 | 5,279 | 3,099 | 62% |
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 rice, maize & wheat 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 rice, maize & wheat 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$ 1.3 m | US$ 495 k | US$ 1.8 m | 99 | 158 |
| Base | 20% | US$ 2.5 m | US$ 991 k | US$ 3.5 m | 138 | 221 |
| High | 30% | US$ 3.8 m | US$ 1.5 m | US$ 5.3 m | 177 | 283 |
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 (43–44) | Method, assumptions and sources