Output Marketing at Helmand FSC

Since its inception in August 2008, the Helmand FSC has created 47 full-time jobs and made sales valued at approximately $1 million. The FSC has trained 2,065 individuals, and provides inputs and services to nearly 7,000 farm households. The Helmand FSC provides high quality inputs and training on credit and facilitates output marketing for regional farmers.

Long-time farmer Baz Muhammad is a resident of the Nahre Saraj village in Helmand province. The recently established Helmand FSC has addressed two of Muhammad’s chief constraints by providing credit for purchase of inputs and facilitating output marketing. Muhammad is now able to procure high quality wheat seed on credit from the Helmand FSC and then has the option to sell back his harvested wheat directly to the FSC.

Mohammad Ibrahim, the owner of the Helmand FSC, purchased a total of 26.4 metric tons of maize and 45.5 metric tons of wheat from a total of 75 regional farmers. Many of these farmers were able to realize improved production and profit through procuring high quality cereal grain seeds on credit at the Helmand FSC. The Helmand FSC also provided pesticide safe use training to regional farmers to help further improve production practices.

Ibrahim further adds value to the FSCs cereal grain purchases by processing the maize and wheat at the FSC before transporting the flour for sale at regional markets. Ibrahim is optimistic that his quality products and services will result in an expansion of his customer base as well as his output marketing and agricultural processing activities. In recent months, Ibrahim has expanded his area of service to the Nadali, Marjah, Nawaha and Lashkar Gah districts of the Helmand province.