USAID organizes annual AgFairs in Afghanistan to promote the country's agricultural sector. The AgFairs draw thousands of visitors from around the world and showcase high-quality Afghan agricultural products like pomegranates, grapes, nuts, and cashmere. They link buyers and sellers and boost domestic and international sales. The fairs also provide opportunities to share best practices and new technologies. Prior AgFairs introduced over 445,000 participants to Afghanistan's growing agricultural market and generated $3 million in deals, with potential for millions more. USAID has organized 11 AgFairs since 2007 across several provinces to catalyze investment and trade in this important sector.

1. Date: December 2010
Public Information Office: +93 (0)70-234-236 x4454
E-mail: kabulusaidinformation@usaid.gov
http://afghanistan.usaid.gov
AgFairs: Creating New Business Opportunities
OVERVIEW
Afghanistan’s AgFairs – agricultural trade fairs – draw thousands of visitors from around the world and
shine the spotlight on the country’s pomegranates, grapes, dried fruit and nuts, cashmere, and other high-
quality agricultural products. USAID organizes AgFairs in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture,
Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) and other partners to build awareness of Afghanistan’s agricultural sector,
link buyers and sellers, and boost sales of Afghan products nationally and internationally. The AgFairs
also serve as an opportunity to exchange ideas on how to improve agricultural production and
agribusiness in Afghanistan and to demonstrate improved technologies and products. AgFairs are
recognized as the largest and most important trade fairs in Afghanistan, catalyzing much needed
investment in the country’s agriculture sector, facilitating trade, and introducing new technologies.
FACTS
 Participants include importers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers, producers, input suppliers, and
service providers from throughout Afghanistan as well as from countries including the United
States, China, Germany, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and the United Arab
Emirates
 Organizing partners included MAIL, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the
Afghanistan Investment Support Agency, and the Export Promotion Agency of Afghanistan
 Business-to-business meetings bring together leading agribusiness representatives from
Afghanistan and abroad, generating business deals and building international partnerships
 Productivity Centers provide farmers, students, and government staff with insight into improved
agricultural methods ranging from grape trellising and soil testing to cashmere harvesting and drip
irrigation
 AgFairs promote Afghanistan’s high-value crops and products ranging from pomegranates to
cashmere
 Afghanistan is the world’s third largest cashmere producer and has the potential to dramatically
grow its market share
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
 Introduced 445,000 international and national participants to new technologies, improved
methods of crop production, and the opportunities available in Afghanistan’s growing agricultural
market
 Generated $3 million in sales from business deals between participants of the AgFairs and
millions more in potential deals
 Organized the first AgFair in April 2007 and held ten additional fairs in Mazar-i Sharif, Hirat,
Kunduz, and Kabul provinces
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