Province 11 of 34 | South
Helmand هلمند
Canal-irrigated farming along the Helmand river supports high volumes of wheat, cotton and melons. Collection and grading markets in upper Helmand shorten trips to Lashkar Gah.
- Capital
- Lashkar Gah
- Region
- South
- Area
- 60,752 km²
- Population 2025–26
- 1,580,345
- Density
- 26 per km²
- Districts
- 13
Potential marketplace network Estimated
-
1Nahr-e Saraj District center
District: Nahri Sarraj
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 32 km, 68 min
Producer HH within 60 min: 31,854
-
2Kajaki Market town
District: Kajaki
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 81 km, 175 min
Producer HH within 60 min: 22,909
-
3Musa Qala District center
District: Musa Qala
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 95 km, 208 min
Producer HH within 60 min: 17,418
| # | Site | District | Likely role | Lat, Lon | To nearest existing market | Producer HH within 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nahr-e Saraj District center | Nahri Sarraj | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 31.7984, 64.5837 | 32 km 68 min | 31,854 |
| 2 | Kajaki Market town | Kajaki | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 32.3008, 65.0964 | 81 km 175 min | 22,909 |
| 3 | Musa Qala District center | Musa Qala | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 32.3616, 64.7735 | 95 km 208 min | 17,418 |
Local products and producer groups Strong secondary
- Wheat
- Cotton
- Melon & watermelon
- Maize
- Onion & vegetables
- Pomegranate
Farming system: Irrigated horticulture (US$ 950 sales per participating household)
Producer groups: smallholder farmers, livestock and dairy keepers, household enterprises, small processors and traders
Crafts: Embroidery, mats
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 Nahr-e Saraj | 22,677 | 17,460 | 71,712 | 31,854 | 23,610 | 85% |
| 2 Kajaki | 12,258 | 13,138 | 19,926 | 22,909 | 18,195 | 100% |
| 3 Musa Qala | 12,412 | 7,113 | 27,094 | 17,418 | 14,806 | 100% |
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 wheat, cotton 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 wheat, cotton 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$ 5.4 million | US$ 1.7 million | US$ 6.8 million | 212 | 339 |
| Base | 20% | US$ 10.8 million | US$ 3.4 million | US$ 13.7 million | 363 | 581 |
| High | 30% | US$ 16.1 million | US$ 5.1 million | US$ 20.5 million | 515 | 824 |
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 (29–30) | Method, assumptions and sources