KABUL, AFGHNAISTAN – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Afghanistan has announced the launch of a new round of matching grants for agribusinesses under its Emergency Food Security Project.
In a statement issued on Saturday (21 February), FAO said it has opened applications for businesses seeking financial support. The program is funded by the World Bank, with up to $6m allocated for the scheme.
FAO said the initiative aims to support businesses operating across agricultural value chains, strengthen domestic production and contribute to improved food security in Afghanistan. Eligible applicants include women-led start-ups, small producer groups and small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises.
According to the organization, the scheme is structured around three separate grant “windows”, each tailored to a specific category of agribusiness.
The first window focuses primarily on small and women-led enterprises, offering comparatively flexible co-financing requirements in order to encourage broader participation. “This window provides entry-level support for women-led micro-enterprises, start-up agribusinesses, and small producer groups that face higher barriers to investment and formalisation. Window 1A prioritises compact production, processing, or marketing; start-up agribusinesses operating for less than three years; small producer groups with basic governance structures; and youth-led enterprises.
To be eligible, applicants must have been operating for less than three years or be newly formalizing informal activity, not less than one year. They must have annual turnover of at least USD 3,000 and hold valid registration or commit to register before grant agreement signature. There is no minimum number of employees.”
The second window targets established small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to expand operations, upgrade equipment or improve market access, with defined cost-sharing obligations. “This window targets small and medium agribusinesses operating at provincial and national levels that serve domestic markets. These include processors, aggregators, packhouses, and cold storage operators that play a critical role in reducing post-harvest losses and creating reliable market outlets for farmers.
Eligible applicants include SMEs operating at provincial or national level, processors and aggregators, packhouses and cold storage operators, input suppliers and service providers, and producer organizations with established commercial operations.”
The third window is designed for larger enterprises, including those engaged in wider domestic markets or agricultural exports. Grants under this category come with different financial thresholds and requirements, with an emphasis on sustainable growth, job creation and strengthened market linkages. “This window supports commercial enterprises engaged in export of agricultural products or supplying major national buyers. The focus is on improving competitiveness in international markets for high-value Afghan commodities such as saffron, dried fruits, and nuts.
Eligible applicants include export-oriented agribusinesses with demonstrated export experience, enterprises with verified contracts from major national or international buyers, and businesses holding or actively pursuing international certification.”
FAO said the grants are provided on a matching basis, meaning successful applicants must contribute a portion of the project costs. The agency described the program as part of broader efforts to reinforce agricultural value chains and bolster food security amid ongoing economic challenges in Afghanistan.
