Province 33 of 34 | Central

Wardak میدان وردک

Wardak's apple orchards and highland potatoes are close to Kabul. Collection and storage on the Saydabad corridor and in the Behsud highlands raise farm incomes.

Capital: Maidan Shar
Region: Central
Area: 10,799 km²
Population 2025–26: 719,710
Density: 67 per km²
Districts: 9

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

US$ 5.7 m

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 2.9 m to US$ 8.6 m)

22,992

addressable producer households (73,834 within 60 min)

105,669

underserved rural people brought within 60 min

188

direct jobs, base case (+301 indirect)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Sayyidabad Market town

District: Saydabad

Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers

To nearest existing market: 28 km, 45 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 58,835

34.0004, 68.7135
2Jaghatu District center

District: Jaghatu

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 32 km, 78 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 9,276

33.8241, 68.3505
3Behsud I (Hesa-e Awal) District center

District: Hisa-I- Awali Bihsud

Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers

To nearest existing market: 24 km, 88 min

Producer HH ≤60 min: 6,331

34.5162, 68.1971

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH ≤60 min
1	Sayyidabad Market town	Saydabad	Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers	34.0004, 68.7135	28 km 45 min	58,835
2	Jaghatu District center	Jaghatu	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	33.8241, 68.3505	32 km 78 min	9,276
3	Behsud I (Hesa-e Awal) District center	Hisa-I- Awali Bihsud	Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers	34.5162, 68.1971	24 km 88 min	6,331

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Apple
Potato
Apricot & almond
Wheat
Sheep & cattle

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, wool

Market catchment and accessibility Estimated

Site	HH ≤30 min	HH 30–60 min	HH 60–90 min	Producer HH ≤60 min	Addressable	Underserved
1 Sayyidabad	15,437	52,551	661,761	58,835	14,252	9%
2 Jaghatu	5,268	5,072	41,948	9,276	5,553	52%
3 Behsud I (Hesa-e Awal)	2,651	4,583	15,811	6,331	3,358	37%

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 apple, potato 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 apple, potato 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$ 2.2 m	US$ 695 k	US$ 2.9 m	124	198
Base	20%	US$ 4.4 m	US$ 1.4 m	US$ 5.7 m	188	301
High	30%	US$ 6.6 m	US$ 2.1 m	US$ 8.6 m	252	403

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 (73–74) | Method, assumptions and sources