While Afghanistan continues to import a large proportion of its most basic food needs, ACTED is working in Samangan province to help rural women become effective small-scale producers through the construction of greenhouses. Such projects have a range of proven benefits, offering greater resilience to shifting weather patterns, and giving women a sense of purpose and independence in areas where such opportunities are in short supply.
As a means of creating more livelihood opportunities in a sector that could respond to the wider needs of rural communities, in February 2019, ACTED established 8 greenhouses in Aybak and Hazrat El Sultan districts. ACTED brought in the support of 200 local women, who were divided into groups of 25, each group being responsible for a single greenhouse.
ACTED staff then delivered three training sessions covering: cultivation methodologies, greenhouse management, post-harvesting, and the use of fertilizers (among others).