Province 27 of 34 | Central

Panjshir پنجشیر

A narrow, mountainous valley. Value comes from dried mulberry, apricot and livestock products, aggregated for Kabul buyers.

Capital: Bazarak
Region: Central
Area: 3,742 km²
Population 2025–26: 185,194
Density: 49 per km²
Districts: 7

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

US$ 3.6 m

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 1.8 m to US$ 5.5 m)

17,251

addressable producer households (108,251 within 60 min)

334

underserved rural people brought within 60 min

121

direct jobs, base case (+194 indirect)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Anawa Market town

District: Unaba

Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers

To nearest existing market: 21 km, 37 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 106,586

35.2169, 69.3628
2Paryan District center

District: Paryan

Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers

To nearest existing market: 32 km, 51 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 5,962

35.6482, 70.0442

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH ≤60 min
1	Anawa Market town	Unaba	Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers	35.2169, 69.3628	21 km 37 min	106,586
2	Paryan District center	Paryan	Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers	35.6482, 70.0442	32 km 51 min	5,962

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Mulberry (dried)
Apricot
Wheat
Potato
Sheep, goats & honey

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: Gem cutting (emerald), woolen goods

Market catchment and accessibility Estimated

Site	HH ≤30 min	HH 30–60 min	HH 60–90 min	Producer HH ≤60 min	Addressable	Underserved
1 Anawa	40,442	94,260	96,186	106,586	16,520	0%
2 Paryan	1,511	5,614	10,790	5,962	1,118	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 mulberry (dried), apricot 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 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 mulberry (dried), apricot 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$ 540 k	US$ 1.8 m	80	128
Base	20%	US$ 2.6 m	US$ 1.1 m	US$ 3.6 m	121	194
High	30%	US$ 4 m	US$ 1.6 m	US$ 5.5 m	161	258

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 (61–62) | Method, assumptions and sources