Province 25 of 34 | Southeast

Paktika پکتیکا

Pine nuts from Paktika are a premium export. Collection and grading markets in the central and eastern districts reduce dependence on a few cross-border buyers.

Capital: Sharana
Region: Southeast
Area: 18,876 km²
Population 2025–26: 845,359
Density: 45 per km²
Districts: 19

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

US$ 10.5 million

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 5.2 million to US$ 15.7 million)

36,228

producer households benefit commercially (55,913 get market access within 60 min)

312,121

underserved rural people get market access within 60 min

293

direct jobs, base case (+469 indirect jobs)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Urgun District center

District: Urgun

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 51 km, 66 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 30,217

32.9582, 69.2048
2Zarghun Shahr District center

District: Zarghun Shahr

Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers

To nearest existing market: 47 km, 63 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 21,881

32.8680, 68.4584
3Nika District center

District: Nika

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 44 km, 109 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 8,878

33.2060, 69.2431

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH within 60 min
1	Urgun District center	Urgun	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	32.9582, 69.2048	51 km 66 min	30,217
2	Zarghun Shahr District center	Zarghun Shahr	Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers	32.8680, 68.4584	47 km 63 min	21,881
3	Nika District center	Nika	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	33.2060, 69.2431	44 km 109 min	8,878

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Pine nut (chilghoza)
Almond
Wheat
Sheep & goats
Potato

Farming system: High-value tree crops (US$ 1,150 sales per participating household)

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

Crafts: Embroidery, woodwork

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 Urgun	16,482	18,029	30,741	30,217	20,215	72%
2 Zarghun Shahr	8,570	16,934	16,253	21,881	9,967	39%
3 Nika	6,587	3,219	22,463	8,878	7,681	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: 1 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 pine nut (chilghoza), almond 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	1 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 pine nut (chilghoza), almond 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$ 4.4 million	US$ 1.1 million	US$ 5.2 million	176	282
Base	20%	US$ 8.7 million	US$ 2.2 million	US$ 10.5 million	293	469
High	30%	US$ 13.1 million	US$ 3.4 million	US$ 15.7 million	409	654

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 (57–58) | Method, assumptions and sources