Efforts ongoing to make Afghanistan self-reliant: Mullah Baradar

Afghanistan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said on Saturday that efforts are underway to make the country self-reliant in every field.

Addressing a gathering to mark the 26th farmer festival, Baradar said that supporting and modernizing Afghanistan’s agriculture are among the priorities of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

“Supporting agriculture sector, water canals, greenhouses, modernizing Afghanistan’s agriculture, distributing seeds, finding markets for agricultural products are the priorities of the Islamic Emirate,” said Baradar.

Meanwhile, acting minister of agriculture, irrigation and livestock said that efforts are underway to find markets for domestic products.

The official called on investors and national traders to invest in agriculture sector.

“We ask investors and national traders to invest in agriculture sector. We are committed to provide facilities to our investors,” said Minister Abdul Rahman Rashid.

Coinciding with the farmer festival, a domestic products expo also kicked off in Badam-Bagh area of Kabul city on Saturday.

“Business are not running well nowadays. There isn’t rush. People don’t buy as much as they used to do in the past,” said Safiullah, a participant of the exhibition.

“The level of sales is good, however, lesser number of people are visiting as compared to last year,” said Hazrat Gul, another participant.

Women also took part in the expo to find market for their agriculture products.

“Our products are honey, cumin, Badakhshan cake etc. I have been participating in the expo for the last 10 years. The markets are not good this year,” said Mari Gul, a participant of the expo.

Shaima Yosufzai, another participant of the expo, said: “Our products are jam, dried garlic and other dried materials. We prepare and sell them.”

This is the first farmer festival that is celebrated in Afghanistan since IEA took power in August last year.