Province 02 of 34 | West

Badghis بادغیس

Large rainfed and rangeland economy with poor road links to Herat. Pistachio and livestock sales are seasonal and buyer-thin; organized collection points can lift farm-gate prices.

Capital: Qala-e-Naw
Region: West
Area: 19,286 km²
Population 2025–26: 585,254
Density: 30 per km²
Districts: 7

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

US$ 7 million

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 3.5 million to US$ 10.5 million)

33,092

producer households benefit commercially (44,801 get market access within 60 min)

291,371

underserved rural people get market access within 60 min

216

direct jobs, base case (+346 indirect jobs)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Ghormach Market town

District: Ghormach

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 66 km, 107 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 21,338

35.7301, 63.7809
2Bala Murghab Market town

District: Bala Murghab

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 61 km, 119 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 13,235

35.5841, 63.3290
3Qadis Market town

District: Qadis

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 29 km, 90 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 11,333

34.8045, 63.4385

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH within 60 min
1	Ghormach Market town	Ghormach	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	35.7301, 63.7809	66 km 107 min	21,338
2	Bala Murghab Market town	Bala Murghab	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	35.5841, 63.3290	61 km 119 min	13,235
3	Qadis Market town	Qadis	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	34.8045, 63.4385	29 km 90 min	11,333

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Rainfed wheat
Pistachio (wild stands)
Karakul sheep & goats
Cumin
Melon & watermelon

Farming system: Mixed farming (US$ 750 sales per participating household)

Producer groups: smallholder farmers, livestock and dairy keepers, household enterprises, small processors and traders

Crafts: Carpets and felt (namad)

Market catchment and accessibility Estimated

Site	HH within 30 min	HH 30–60 min	HH 60–90 min	Producer HH within 60 min	Commercially addressable	Underserved
1 Ghormach	9,062	15,728	23,392	21,338	13,348	58%
2 Bala Murghab	11,134	3,793	7,327	13,235	11,880	100%
3 Qadis	7,247	5,777	2,769	11,333	8,527	76%

HH = households of 7.7 people (ALCS 2016–17). The primary indicator is producer households within 60 minutes by road. Underserved % is the share of rural people within 60 minutes of the candidate site who are currently more than 60 minutes from an existing market. Commercially addressable households refer to producer HH.

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 rainfed wheat, pistachio (wild stands) 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	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 rainfed wheat, pistachio (wild stands) 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$ 2.5 million	US$ 1 million	US$ 3.5 million	138	221
Base	20%	US$ 5.1 million	US$ 2.1 million	US$ 7 million	216	346
High	30%	US$ 7.6 million	US$ 3.1 million	US$ 10.5 million	293	469

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 (11–12) | Method, assumptions and sources