THE VOICE OF PRIVATE SECTOR

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Paktia Archive

The event was attended by the leadership of the Paktia Chamber of Commerce and Investment, the Chamber of Industries and Mines, representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the Municipality, and many local entrepreneurs.

Several beekeepers in Paktia expressed concerns about the lack of a suitable market for their honey and called on the relevant government departments to support local honey marketing and facilitate exports.

To raise public awareness about the importance of bees, the United Nations has declared May 20 as World Bee Day.

Asadullah Waziri, a beekeeper in Paktia, said at the event that honey produced in Paktia is of higher quality compared to other provinces, but lack of market access prevents them from selling it effectively. He urged the government to facilitate honey exports abroad.

Another beekeeper, Abdulhai Dildar, noted that imported honey has negatively affected the market for domestic products.
He stated, “Imported honey has decreased the price of our local honey. The government should increase tariffs on imported honey to protect local producers.”

He also requested assistance in standard packaging, processing, and export of honey.

Haseebullah Gardizi, the head of the Paktia Chamber of Commerce and Investment, pledged efforts to help local honey producers participate in international exhibitions to showcase their products globally.

Najibullah Mehrabi, director of beneficial insects at the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock in Paktia, said there are currently 276 active beekeeping farms in the province, producing about 350 tons of honey last year.
He added that they have proposed to the Ministry of Agriculture to issue commercial licenses for beekeepers to enable them to export their products.

At the end of the event, honey producers presented an appreciation letter to Mr. Haseebullah Gardizi, the Executive Director of the Paktia Chamber of Commerce and Investment, for his support.

Launch of the Sustainable Livelihood Project – ORD and UNIDO-STFA Joint Program

On April 28, 2025, under the joint program of UNIDO-STFA, the Organization for Relief Development (ORD) officially launched the implementation of the Sustainable Livelihoods Project in Afghanistan’s southeastern provinces.

The major investment forum, organized by ORD, was held in the hall of the Paktia Chamber of Commerce in Gardez. This event marked the official launch of ORD’s new project under the joint UNIDO-STFA framework, covering southeastern provinces including Paktia, Khost, Paktika, and Logar. The main objective was to invite regional entrepreneurs, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and wider private sector players to participate in this initiative.

The project aims to strengthen sustainable livelihoods through financial and technical support to 101 individuals and 10 consortiums. It targets both formal and informal MSMEs across multiple sectors and value chain stages. The program places particular emphasis on community-based enterprises, youth- and women-led businesses, as well as returnee and internally displaced entrepreneurs to promote economic recovery and job creation for both men and women.

A total of 140 participants attended the forum, including 85 local entrepreneurs and MSME owners, private sector representatives (Chambers of Commerce and Industries), government entities (Departments of Industry and Commerce, Economy, Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock), local media, UN agencies, national and international NGOs, and partners from UNIDO and ORD.

Participants received detailed information about ORD and UNIDO programs in the southeastern region, with specific focus on the goals and opportunities presented by this new project. The forum also enabled open discussions where entrepreneurs and private sector representatives shared their views and suggestions about the project design and implementation.

The MSME/beneficiary selection process was thoroughly explained, emphasizing that the application process is open to all eligible local entrepreneurs and MSMEs. Qualified MSMEs will be selected based on pre-established competitive criteria. At the conclusion of the event, application forms for financial support were distributed to 78 interested MSME owners.