Improving Agriculture Inputs Delivery System Preparation Project

The Project

This project preparation grant of $2.4 million was approved as a preparation grant for the Afghanistan Agricultural Inputs Project (AAIP). The preparation grant is supporting MAIL in carefully designing components of AAIP and carrying out necessary project preparation activities. It is contributing to implementation start-up as it helps create the conditions necessary for the main project. During the project preparation phase, needs assessments of the value chain for certified wheat are taking place as well as a review of seed policies and law, which date from 2005 and are by now outdated. Both the pesticide and quarantine laws, which are well advanced, are being finalized and will be submitted to the Ministry of Justice. Finally, three comprehensive surveys are being carried out to update the knowledge base, including (i) survey on the supply chain for production of certified wheat seed; (ii) survey on farm level production activities for wheat and other major crops; and (iii) survey on input distribution networks for major inputs. The full AAIP project was approved by the ARTF Management Committee in June 2013.