Community members in the Helmand region of Afghanistan felt that their local agricultural input providers too often put profits before quality, virtually ignoring actual product effectiveness, and local farmers and ranchers were suffering losses as a result.

Ten local entrepreneurs decided to take action to solve this problem by supporting the establishment of a farm service center which would meet the needs of farmers, nomads and other community members. The group attended an investor meeting organized by CNFA’s USAID-funded Afghanistan Farm Service Alliance (AFSA) in Kabul. Following the meeting, the group worked with CNFA’s project management team to establish a Farm Service Center (FSC) in Helmand.

Once the Helmand store was established, its owners immediately started to gain the trust of the community, from villages to districts to the entire province. Soon the FSC’s offerings were reaching neighboring provinces. The Helmand FSC offers more competitive prices to customers, as well as advanced technical knowledge in treating plant diseases, reducing spoilages, increasing wheat production and improving local livestock through vaccines and other medicines.

Mr. Haji Amir Hussain Chupan, a shepherd in the Helmand province whose sheep had contracted Mangoran, a skin parasite, had tried multiple medicines but nothing helped. He heard about the Helmand FSC from his nephew and visited the store. The managers advised him to use a new medication, which proved to be very effective. He appreciated the help he received at the store.

“My family and I are thankful to the farm store for their great service and for saving my sheep," he said.

The Helmand FSC has had great success, although it has been open less than a year. Opening the store has created 30 new jobs, and 3,834 households have benefited from its opening. Short-term agricultural sector productivity training has been provided to 738 individuals since the store’s opening. Sales have reached $330,658, and projected profits are over $1 million.