A total of 120 onion cold storage facilities are under construction across provinces with the financial support of the World Bank in Afghanistan, the local media outlet Tolonews reported Sunday.
According to the report, the facilities are being built in Paktia, Ghazni, Daykundi, Badakhshan, and Kandahar provinces, each with the capacity to store up to 20 tons of onions.
The initiative would help farmers reduce post-harvest losses, stabilize market prices, and strengthen food security in rural areas, the report stated, adding that onion farmers in Afghanistan have been calling for the construction of cold storage infrastructures to protect their products from spoilage and to ensure better income opportunities.
Afghanistan, an agricultural country where farming employs a majority of the population, has often faced challenges of inadequate storage and market access. The introduction of cold rooms, supported by international partners, is expected to boost productivity, enhance livelihoods and contribute to the overall improvement of the agricultural sector.