OVERVIEW

CHAMP works with Afghans to increase the yield and quality of pomegranates, apples, almonds, grapes, apricots and melons and to open up new export channels on the global market. CHAMP supports and facilitates each stage of the market process to improve the quality of Afghan horticultural products through the entire value chain. CHAMP’s agribusiness activities stimulate growth in Afghanistan’s agricultural sector, create jobs, improve livelihoods, and boost the economy. CHAMP was active in 17 provinces in central, eastern, southeastern, and southern Afghanistan. 

The CHAMP Cooperative Agreement was extended Dec. 30, 2014 to Dec. 30, 2016 for an additional $ 4,967,045. CHAMP’s focus was reduced during the extension period from 17 to six provinces (Kandahar, Kabul, Parwan, Kapisa, Logar and Wardak). 

ACTIVITIES

• Handling pre- and post-harvest quality improvements for fresh fruit, to meet modern market requirements. 
• Linking farmers with traders, and traders with domestic and international markets.
• Facilitating the export of selected fresh and dry fruits to regional international markets.
• Improving the performance of new and existing businesses.

RESULTS TO DATE

• Benefitted 37,000 Afghan households through activities ranging from establishing commercial orchards to exporting high-quality produce. 
• Planted more than 2.85 million fruit saplings and grape cuttings and established 6,170 hectares of fruit orchards and vineyards in partnership with 19,500 Afghan farmers.
• Supported more than 580 hectares of vineyards with trellising, doubling crop yield and income of more than 2,500 farmers.
• Established more than 870 community-based Farmer Field Schools with over 12,000 members (of which more than 900 are women). 
• Trained more than 104,000 farmers (of which 2,700 are women) on improved agriculture techniques, including planting, fertilization, irrigation, and disease and pest control. 
• Trained more than 4,500 apricot producers (of whom 750 were women) in sulfur drying.
• Mainstreamed new agricultural practices like grape trellising, pruning ladders, collection baskets, sulfur drying of apricots, and growing demand-driven produce.
• Supported traders to adopt world standards by introducing carton boxes and plastic containers to reduce fruit damage.
• Established trade offices in Dubai and New Delhi run by Afghan companies contributing to a sustainable platform for Afghan agricultural exports beyond the life of the project.
• Supported participation of Afghan businessmen and businesswomen in exhibitions such as the Dubai’s Gulfood Exhibition and the India International Trade Fair to open new markets for Afghan produce. 
• Facilitated the export of 28,500 metric tons of fresh and dried fruit and nuts worth an estimated $31 million to international markets including Pakistan, Bahrain, Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, and Saudi Arabia.
• Constructed over 200 raisin-drying facilities and cold storage rooms to help farmers reap the highest profit from their harvests.
• Generated more than 7,400 permanent full-time jobs in areas such as pre-harvest and post-harvest handling as well as exporting.