President Ghani: Creating a Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock Products will promote agriculture

The President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani attended the opening ceremony of the Afghanistan Agriculture and Livestock Products Chamber earlier this afternoon.

Addressing the ceremony at the Chahar Chinar Palace, the president said; agriculture and livestock products are important not only for development but also for Afghanistan's stability. He added that the government is working to bridge the gap between the rural and city and using the political and economic importance of agriculture. Afghanistan's future depends on agriculture.

Addressing the Agricultural and Livestock Unions, President Ghani said that creating the Agriculture and Livestock Products Chamber will make you united and your products will reach domestic and international markets at low cost.

The president said; Afghanistan exports have tripled in the past five years to more than $ 1 billion; our plan is to increase exports by $ 500 million each year. The government is committed to marketing all of your products in the global markets.

While urging businessmen to pay close attention to the quality and prestige of exports, the president supposed every Afghan ambassador and consul represents Afghan products abroad. So far, business ventures have worked well and export chains are credible and the government is committed to providing facilities at all stages from the process to the sale of products.

H.E President Ghani reiterated, to improve crops and livestock, the water management is important and that 80 percent of the country's waters will be controlled and managed in the next five years.

The president added; during his series of meetings with Kabul residents in the context of national dialogue, the issue of water has been one of the five major problems and drinking water is not safe. The government is working to solve the problem of drinking water in major cities. The environment is changing, and we need to adjust to these changes as well.

The president told farmers and landowners that the government plans to establish value chains in five parts of the country so they can know how their products are worth from production to sales and how to maintain them.

He pointed out that the government is preventing the usurpation of pastures and is committed to prioritizing domestic products in procurement and women in agriculture and livestock unions are still preferred at 5% in procurement.

Nassir Ahmad Durrani, Acting Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, also said that the creation of the Afghan Agriculture and Livestock Chamber would make the agricultural and livestock unions in the provinces and villages under single unite. From process to marketing, it will continue to increase throughout the coordination process.

Mr. Ajmal Ahmady, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, said the benefit of creating the chamber is that agricultural and livestock unions are linked to international markets, which will boost the national economy.

Also at the ceremony, Mahrof Zafar, Director of the Agricultural and Livestock Products Chamber said; right now this chamber has offices in seven provinces and will open offices in six more in the next two months. The Afghan Agriculture and Livestock Products Chamber is a specific address for country farmers and works to develop and market agricultural and livestock products.