Province 23 of 34 | Southwest

Nimroz نیمروز

Nimroz is sparsely settled, with trade dominated by Zaranj and the Iran border. Rural settlements along the Helmand delta and Khash Rod corridor are small and far apart.

Capital: Zaranj
Region: Southwest
Area: 40,262 km²
Population 2025–26: 201,140
Density: 5 per km²
Districts: 5

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

US$ 1.3 m

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 655 k to US$ 2 m)

7,418

addressable producer households (10,569 within 60 min)

84,759

underserved rural people brought within 60 min

direct jobs, base case (+142 indirect)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Chakhansur Market town

District: Chakhansur

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 32 km, 97 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 5,791

31.1752, 62.0645
2Delaram Market town

District: Khash Rod

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 110 km, 170 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 3,545

32.1635, 63.4236
3Ghurghuri Market town

District: Khash Rod

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 78 km, 146 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 1,245

31.4453, 62.6373

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH ≤60 min
1	Chakhansur Market town	Chakhansur	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	31.1752, 62.0645	32 km 97 min	5,791
2	Delaram Market town	Khash Rod	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	32.1635, 63.4236	110 km 170 min	3,545
3	Ghurghuri Market town	Khash Rod	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	31.4453, 62.6373	78 km 146 min	1,245

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Wheat
Melon & watermelon
Sheep, goats & camels
Vegetables

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: Mats (reed), 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 Chakhansur	841	9,491	4,998	5,791	3,788	100%
2 Delaram	942	2,910	4,381	3,545	2,480	100%
3 Ghurghuri	1,107	235	1,048	1,245	1,157	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: 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, melon & watermelon 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, melon & watermelon 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$ 445 k	US$ 210 k	US$ 655 k	75	120
Base	20%	US$ 891 k	US$ 419 k	US$ 1.3 m	89	142
High	30%	US$ 1.3 m	US$ 629 k	US$ 2 m	104	166

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 (53–54) | Method, assumptions and sources