Sorubi Recreational Park Phase I

Recreation areas and resorts are one of the three basic necessities of human beings, which are work, rest, and Amusement.
Recreational Areas are where people go on holidays for fun and relaxation.
The existence of recreational areas such as green parks, gardens, agricultural farms, and gardening is
extremely important not only for entertainment and recreation but also in the protection of the environment and the beauty of the city.
Sorubi district of Kabul province, Afghanistan is one of the main options for recreation with its refreshing climate and wonderful potential.
Residents of the eastern zone of the capital, which is visited by visitors every year. According to the statistics, the Recreation areas on holidays, especially on Fridays in the warm seasons of the year may have a large number of #visitors, which is an estimated about 4000 - 5000 visitors.
Sorubi Recreational Park Phase I (Bagh-e Rayees) is one of the recreational areas which has been planned in 10 hectares area that is used by tourists in almost all seasons of the year.

@nekmalblog

Turkish Shawarma in Afghanistan

 

Shawarma (Arabic: شاورما‎) is a dish in Middle Eastern cuisine consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit. Originally made of lamb or mutton, today's shawarma may also be chicken, turkey, beef, or veal. Thin slices are shaved off the cooked surface as it continuously rotates. Shawarma is one of the world's most popular street foods, especially in Egypt, the countries of the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula, and beyond. 

Etymology: 

Shawarma is an Arabic rendering of Turkish çevirme [tʃeviɾˈme] 'turning', referring to the turning rotisserie. 

History:

Shawarma in Lebanon, 1950 Although the roasting of meat on horizontal spits has an ancient history, the technique of grilling a vertical stack of meat slices and cutting it off as it cooks first appeared in the 19th-century Ottoman Empire, in what is now Turkey, in the form of donner kebab. Both the Greek gyros and shawarma are derived from this. Shawarma, in turn, led to the development during the early 20th century of the contemporary Mexican dish tacos al pastor when it was brought there by Lebanese immigrants. 

Preparations: 

Shawarma in a pita Shawarma is prepared from thin cuts of seasoned marinated lamb, mutton, veal, beef, chicken, or turkey. The slices are stacked on a skewer about 60 cm (20 in) high. Lamb fat may be added to provide extra fat for juiciness and flavour. A motorized spit slowly turns the stack of meat in front of a heating element, continuously roasting the outer layer. Shavings are cut off the rotating stack for serving, customarily with a long, sharp knife. Spices may include cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric and paprika, and in some areas Baharat. Shawarma is commonly served as a sandwich or wrap, in a flatbread such as pita or luffa. In the Middle East, chicken shawarma is typically served with garlic sauce, fries, and pickles. In Afghanistan, most shawarma is made with Chicken meat turkey and is commonly served with tahini sauce because serving yogurt sauce with meat. It is often garnished with diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, pickled vegetables, tahini sauce or sauce. Some restaurants may offer additional toppings like grilled peppers, eggplant or French fries.

د مور د ورځې په ویاړ

د جـــــنت سړه سایه وه زمونږ په کور کې
هم کـــــعبه هم مـــــدینه وه زمونږ په کور کې
غـــــریب نه وم زه پادشــــاه د زمانی وم
بی مــــثاله خــــــزانه وه زمونږ په کـــور کې
یو دیدار یې په تمام جهان سیوا وو
مور مو داسې خزانه وه زمونږ په کـــــور کې

د مور ورځ په عمومي ډول د خوښۍ ورځ وي، مګر د هغو کسانو لپاره چې مور یې له لاسه ورکړې، دا ورځ خورا ستونزمنه وي، دا مهمه ده چې په یاد ولرئ چې تاسو پدې احساس کې یوازې نه یاست ټول لدې زیان سره مخ شوي ، او په ټکو کې یې داسې ځائ ورکړیئ چې تاسو یې اوس مهال احساس کوئ. ځکه چې د ورځې په پای کې هیڅ دلیل شتون نلري چې د ټولو ښکلاوو لمانځلو مخه ونیسئ چې هغې ستاسو ژوند ته وربښلې دي.

د مور مینه پر موږ په نه منونکي ډول تاثیر کوي ، تل لارښود او ساتنه کوي، او دا د دوی له تیریدو وروسته احساس کیدی شي.

 د غم سره معامله کولو او د ښکلو یادونو منعکس کولو لپاره دا قانع کونکي ذهنیتونه په هغه نه ماتیدونکي ډول اړیکه نیسي چې سړی یې یوازې د خپلې مور سره شریکولائ شئ. د مور ورځ ده ، د پورتني مطلب په یاد ساتلو سره په یاد ولرئ چې تاسو به د هغې سره نږدې احساس وکړئ که څه هم هغه اوس دلته نه ده.

Invest in Afghanistan

Do you think you know enough about your Homeland Country Afghanistan?! I bet you don’t have proper information about our GDP, Infrastructure, Import & Export, Industrial Parks (Planned and Ongoing), Transportation ports, number of regional ports, investment opportunities in Afghanistan, Flexible Tax system, Free Market Economy, Agriculture sector, Energy capacity, Mining, and others so if you are interested to know click on the video to gain the information.

Eng. Mohammad Naeem Nekmal

Pre-Cast Concrete Walls – Types, Connections, and Advantages

Precast concrete walls are constructed by casting concrete in a reusable wall mold or form which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and lifted into place. The main function of the precast walls is to speed up the construction process.

Fig 1: Erection of Precast Concrete Wall.

In this article, we discuss about the types, connections, characteristics, and advantages of precast concrete walls.
Types of Precast Concrete Wall

1. Cladding or Curtain Walls
The cladding or curtain walls are the most widely used precast wall for building envelopes. They are non-load bearing walls intended for the use to oppose the wind and encase the space. This type of precast wall incorporates divider boards, window divider units, spandrels, mullions, and section covers.

2. Load-bearing Wall
Load-bearing wall units oppose and exchange loads from different components and cannot be removed or dismantled without influencing the quality or dependability of the building.

Fig 2: Load Bearing Pre-Cast Concrete Walls

3. Shear Walls
Shear walls are utilized to give a parallel load opposing framework when joined with stomach activity of the floor development. The viability of precast shear dividers is generally needy upon the board-to-board associations.

Types of Connections in Precast Concrete Walls

1. Bolted Connections
The bolted connections are a simplified and fastest method of erection operation. The final alignment and adjustment can be made later without tying up crane time. The bolting should be in accordance with the erection drawings, using material specified by the designer.

2. Welded connections are the most common and typical connection used in the erection of precast concrete. These connections are structurally efficient and adjust easily to varying field conditions.
The connections are usually made by placing a loose plate between two structural steel plates that are embedded both in the cast-in-place or the precast concrete panel and welded together.

3. Dowel/Anchor Bolt Connections 
In a dowel connection, the strength of dowels in tension or shear depends on dowel diameter, embedded length, and the bond developed. The threaded anchor bolts and rebar anchor dowels that protrude from the foundation are the critical first connection to precast members.

Structural Design Aspects
The precast walls are designed as blind divider or facade which does not carry any load. Anyhow, the precast walls must oppose parallel loads conferred on it due to self-weight, winds, and quakes.

It is critical to assess the plan, specifying and erection of precast walls to abstain from forcing undesirable burdens onto the walls. Loads such as erection, affect, and development related, and transportation of the precast walls are to be considered in the design phase.

The joints between the walls must be sufficiently wide to suit warm extension and differential developments due to season variations. The divider hole space and go down divider which is secured with a water-safe film give an optional line of assurance against water infiltration into the building.
Characteristics of Precast Concrete Walls

1. Thermal Resistance
The precast walls infer their warm execution attributes basically from the measure of protection set in the depression or inside the reinforcement divider, which is ordinarily a metal stud divider.

2. Moisture Protection
The protection for the moisture in the precast walls is of high importance as the structural members such as columns and beams are not structurally connected with the precast walls.

The sealer or the joint seal used in the connections and joints to prevent the moisture from entering the building. To keep the uniformity of precast walls and the sealants, pigmented sealants are used.

3. Fire Safety
The precast walls are manufactured with concrete which has good fire-resistant material.

3. Acoustics
A precast wall with a veneer will give comparative execution with respect to sound transmission from the outside to the inside of the building.

4. Durability
The durability parameter of the precast walls is the same as that of concrete. Anyhow, the durability depends on the type of connections made with the structural member.

Any irregularities in the member can be rectified by sandblasting, uncovering total, corrosive washing, hedge pounding, or different methods.

5. Maintainability
As the walls are manufactured with concrete, which does not need any maintenance. The connection, sealants, anchorages, and accessories used in the precast walls need regular maintenance.

Fig 3: Pre-Cast Concrete Wall

Advantages of Precast Concrete Walls

Precast concrete walls act as thermal storage to delay and reduce peak thermal loads.
The precast concrete wall is used as an interior surface which saves time and money by eliminating the need for separate stud framing and drywall costs.
The precast concrete wall can be used as load-bearing structures and will save costs by eliminating the need for an additional structural framing system.
Precast concrete walls can be designed to be reused for future building expansions.
Precast concrete’s durability creates a low maintenance structure, which stands up to harsh climate conditions.
Precast concrete colors and finishes can be achieved through the use of various aggregates, cement, pigments and finishing techniques.
Precast concrete wall panels can utilize a thin brick veneer that can achieve a traditional appearing facade.
Precast concrete walls can be produced with textures including form liner shapes, artwork, and lettering to provide distinctive accent treatments.
Precast concrete wall panels can have electrical boxes and conduit cast into the panels, to provide flush electrical fixtures on walls that are not to be framed out.

How Do Engineers Build Structures Underwater?

Building structures underwater requires some interesting engineering. 

Have you ever looked at a large bridge or other structure whose foundation was rooted underwater and wondered how engineers ever went about constructing it or will ever fix it? When construction needs to take place somewhere that is submerged underwater, engineers use a series of large driven piles into the waterbed called cofferdams to create a dry workplace.

The way cofferdams are built: 

In terms of geotechnical engineering, the process isn't as simple as just pushing walls into the ground, engineers have to carefully design the structure to not flood and keep the workers inside safe from collapse. Most traditionally you would see cofferdams in the construction process of support piers for bridges, but they can be used in a wide variety of aqueous engineering

The piles of a cofferdam are driven into the earth in whatever formation necessary to a specific depth. When water is on one side of a wall and water is pumped out of the other side of the wall, this creates a hydraulically unstable system which can cause water to seep up through the ground.

Without getting too complex into the geotechnical engineering of this hydraulic phenomenon, there is a depth at which a wall can be driven into the ground that will keep water from seeping to the other side of the wall – typically defined by soil type and water table. The piles used in cofferdams are usually driven into the surface at a minimum of this calculated height in order to keep water out.

Removing the water from the structure:

Once the entire cofferdam is in place, pumps are used to extract the water interior to the dam structure, ultimately creating a dry workspace. Sometimes, getting the piles that make up the cofferdam to a necessary depth on the lake/ocean/river floor is simply too expensive or impractical. In cases like this, a series of pumps are set in place to constantly pump out excess water as it seeps into the cofferdam structure.

These structures are used very commonly when constructing dams, piers for bridges or other forms of aquatic engineering. While it may seem that having such a large work area under the surrounding water level may be dangerous, and it is, it's not as dangerous as you may think. Work inside of cofferdams is usually only allowed under the most pristine conditions when the water is generally static. In these states, failure modes of the pile dam are slow and predictable in nature. To help fight against these slow failures as well, a series of primary or backup pumps can kick into overdrive to help keep the inside of the cofferdam dry until crews can evacuate.

When ships need to be repaired, engineers will also use cofferdams as a sort of dry-dock to isolate the ship from the water and repair it where it sits. This is typically done on larger ships where it would otherwise be impossible to lift the ship out of the water. So, for example, when a cruise ship is lengthened or expanded, engineers will construct a cofferdam around the ship and pump out the water, allowing for workers to have a dry work area. It is important to note that cofferdams are not cheap, but for the projects where they are used, they are the only construction option.

History of cofferdams:

Cofferdams are rather old when it comes to underwater construction vice that there aren't really any other ways to build underwater. The origins of these structures date back to the Persian Empire where they began as earth cofferdams.

These early structures were made essentially how you might think, with earthen walls being built up, the water being bucketed out, the structure being built, then the earth walls removed. It was rather tedious, dangerous and time-consuming, but it did the trick.

The next innovation in cofferdam engineering was made by the Romans. Roman engineers used woodpiles that they drove into waterbeds to wall off underwater areas. This was particularly an impressive feat considering the function was similar to modern steel cofferdams, yet the Romans were able to accomplish it with wooden supports.

In what seems like a step back in the engineering of cofferdams, the next innovation was to move to sandbags, which didn't occur until the late 19th century. During the Napoleonic wars, people began using sandbags to control water. The bags were initially used to protect troops but eventually began being used to control the water by building quick dams. While not the traditional use of cofferdams, these early sandbag dams allowed for troop movements while also offering the added benefit of protection from gunfire.

Steel sheet pile cofferdams:

Finally, after the long history of cofferdams in construction, in the early 1900s, steel cofferdams were first invented by a German engineer. These first steel dams utilized interlocking U shaped steep to control the water flow and are much like what we still see in use today. This was really the final major innovation in the history of Cofferdams as today, we just see minor proprietary changes in the wall interlocking technology.

Why access to improved sanitation is so important for Afghanistan?

Article By: FahimMalekzai / Nekmal Blog

Sanitation refers to the provision of facilities and services for the safe disposal of the human feces, urine, and provision of clean drinking water. Sanitation system consists of five modules including containment, emptying, transport, treatment, and reuse/ disposal. These are the measures which are taken to improve the health and well-being of people individually as well as collectively. Inadequate sanitation is a major cause of diseases worldwide and improving sanitation has a significant beneficial impact on health both in households and across communities. Adequate sanitation, together with good hygiene and safe water, is fundamental to good health and to social and economic development. This includes using clean and safe toilets, keeping water sources clean and disposing of garbage safely. Sanitation is the subject that affects the health and well-being of the population, food production, and the environment. Sanitation plays an important role in protecting the environment and promoting sustainability.

Inadequate sanitation, particularly in the context of urbanization, allows sewage or waste to flow directly into streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands, affecting clean sources of drinking water, fouling the environment and exposing a major part of the population to a number of diseases.  Good sanitation and waste management help to keep people separate from potential sources of pathogens. They reduce the risk of contaminating water supplies with pathogens and discourage the transmission of disease.

We can divide sanitation into two categories namely urban sanitation and rural sanitation. Both types need to be addressed properly. People living in rural areas usually do not have access to improved sanitation, no modern flush systems, no proper handwashing practices observed. Open defecation is very common in rural areas which frequently cause the spread of infectious diseases, a major source of clean drinking water contamination and a breeding ground for vectors. The types of latrines used are pit latrines with open doors and no hygienic measures.  These people are largely illiterate, unaware of hygienic principles. There is also no proper management of solid waste although its production in rural areas is less. Similarly, when we consider the urban sanitation system, it needs much more attention, effective management, and greater resources to bring it into streamline. There are modern toilet facilities used but the wastewater generated needs to be managed effectively. The wastewater generated includes residential, Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, Combine–Residential & Commercial, Health Facility’s, Wastewater generated from Slaughtering Houses, Wastewater from Mosques and any other wastewater such as from Public Latrine, Bakeries, Parks and so on. The open defecation is less in cities. Solid waste dumped around in the open environment which needs proper management.

A proper Sanitation system also effectively covers solid waste management.  Effective management of solid garbage keeps the streets, roads, avenues, and environment, clean and odor-free. With the rapid growth of population everywhere around the city heaps of solid dumped illegally in the open places can be seen. There is no effective solid waste management, treatment and safe disposal system in Afghanistan. This situation needs to be addressed properly in order to avoid or even minimize the consequences of a polluted environment.  Solid waste is generated and collected from different areas, sources and is of different types. It includes waste collected from residential areas, commercial markets, grocery shops, waste collected from educational institutions. Solid waste from health care facilities needs special management as it is considered in nature as infectious.

Afghanistan has not that much good sanitation and hygiene conditions. In Afghanistan, about 20.6 % of total deaths are attributable to worsened conditions of drinking water, hygiene, and sanitation-related causes (WHO 2004). There are no certain permanent fecal sludge disposal facilities available to the citizens of Afghanistan. According to this fact and figures especially in rural areas of Afghanistan people still go for open defecation. According to a UNICEF/WHO joint monitoring program (JMP) for water supply, sanitation and hygiene report a survey conducted on sanitation in the year 2015 indicates that still, Afghanistan lacks much behind the other countries in the sanitation sector. Afghans (6 out of every 7 persons) still live under poor hygienic circumstances. According to the modified definition of Sanitation from ALCS only 39 percent of households have access to improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan which is a very critical condition.

The sanitation conditions of Afghanistan’s major cities are by any means not satisfactory. The large cities of Afghanistan including Kabul being the capital city, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, Nangarhar, and Herat have no sewerage systems for wastewater, no up to mark canalization which could handle the daily flow of wastewater. In addition to all this, there are no wastewater or fecal sludge treatment plants. So all this wastewater from various sources flows directly to the open environment and causes multiple environmental and health hazards. Let’s take the example of Kabul city, where the population is increasing day by day. The sanitation condition is very alarming. There is a lack of proper disposal of the fecal sludge. There is no proper sewer system to carry the wastewater away, dispose it in a safe way at a regular disposal facility. Similarly, it also lacks a proper human excreta treatment system. This all has led to a very alarming condition of sanitation and hygiene. The trucks carrying the fecal sludge from the septic tanks, pit latrines, and other possible sites discharge it illegally either within the city or unfortunately into the Kabul River. This has led to environmental pollution, underground water pollution and the spread of different diseases.

Consequences of poor sanitation: If sanitation is not taken care of such as proper toilet facilities, safe habits of human excreta disposal, proper sewerage techniques, proper solid waste management, waste is disposed of in the streets creating a foul smell and terrible living conditions for inhabitants. Most people have limited knowledge and understanding of the good hygienic practices which could reduce the health risks from poor sanitation, hygiene and waste management. Urban areas are characterized by poor sanitation conditions, indiscriminate dumping of wastes and non-availability of adequate toilet facilities. Thus as a result of poor sanitation, the untreated human waste finds its way into rivers, polluting the water and posing a health risk to those depending on this water for bathing and cleaning purposes. Many human infections are spread through contact with human excreta. Bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasitic worms cause many diseases that are spread by direct contact with feces or indirectly via contaminated food and soil. Similarly, unimproved management of solid waste also results in the spread of infectious diseases and pathogenic microorganisms. In rural areas, people are more vulnerable to infectious diseases because of widespread open defecation, unhygienic habits, and non-existence of standards latrines. The diseases caused put an extra burden on common people in terms of treatments, visiting hospitals and paying a fee of doctors and medicines. This puts further pressure on government, government health care facilities and constrains the financial resources.

Talking of solutions that should be done to change the current situation of poor sanitation in our country particularly in large cities. First of all, the government must pay serious attention to the sanitation sector. The private sector can be included to aid the government in the improvement of sanitation. With the sanitation fee presently being taken from households and other various sources, an effective and reliable policy should be established. For effective waste management, our policy should be based on three types of future plans. First of all local short term sanitation improvement programs be started. Onsite sanitation facilities must be improved, modern latrines systems should be employed, unhygienic practices should be discouraged. Awareness campaign regarding home sanitation, hygienic principles should be carried out. Secondly, there should be a focus on the construction of Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS). These can be constructed for commercial buildings, apartments, government institutions, educational institutions, and residential colonies. In the third phase, the long term plan should be to build facilities such as centralized wastewater and fecal sludge treatment plants. Planned and engineered sewerage and canalization system for water drainage must be built in the city linked to treatment plants. In the case of solid waste management, it also requires planned practical work. The current condition of Kabul city in this regard is awful. There is no solution to this problem has been found by the Municipality. This problem should also be addressed on an emergency basis to keep the city clean. Effective management is the key to the solution of this problem. Apart from other strategies to address solid waste management, solid waste segregation at source point can be carried out. The waste can be segregated into biodegradable, non-biodegradable and recyclable and non-recyclable wastes. Many of the solid waste thrown out can be effectively recycled. This reduces the volume, generates revenue and becomes a source of job creation. It requires less energy, money, and efforts to recycle a waste than to make it again. The biodegradable waste can be used for biogas generation, composting to make manure, etc. in rural areas, human waste along with solid biodegradable waste after co-composting is an effective type of manure used in farms for better crop production. Similarly, human waste along with cow dung is a good source of energy production in the form of biogas which is cheap, efficient and free of cost.

About the Author

Eng. Fahim Malekzai has done Civil Engineering from the University of Salam, Kabul Afghanistan. He was the head of the Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant Project, Ministry of Urban Development and Housing. He has worked as a Construction Manager in BORDA (Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association) in Kabul, Afghanistan and has gained 13 years general worked experience, Presently he is working with CRIDA (Central Region Independent Development Authority) as S/W Design Engineer from various national and international organizations and 8 years of specific experience in the field of sanitation.

water supply and sanitation systems in Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s harsh conditions and rough terrain impede the expansion and maintenance of public infrastructure, including water supply and sanitation systems. Decades of conflict and weak governance have curbed investment in public infrastructure and made enforcing relevant sanitation and hygiene regulations difficult. Cities across the country are growing at rates double the current average in Asia. Afghanistan’s urbanization and shifting demographics are driven by the increasing number of people displaced by fighting in the countryside, refugees who are returning from Pakistan and Iran, and rural residents who are looking for economic opportunities. Afghanistan also has no functioning sewage and wastewater treatment systems, and existing septage management systems are informal. Only 63 percent of Afghans have access to basic drinking water, and only 39 percent have access to basic sanitation.

USAID is assisting Afghanistan in meeting its water-supply and sanitation targets and improving hygiene behaviors, in alignment with the Global Water Strategy and the USAID Agency Specific Plan, through the Potable and Productive Water Project (PPWP), an integrated set of activities to address water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs and related challenges to water-resource management (subject to the availability of funds). Key priorities within the PPWP include improving the sustainability of investments and leveraging WASH activities to drive nutrition gains, enhance resilience, and stimulate employment opportunities. USAID is also supporting the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) within the U.S. Department of the Interior in ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water supplies in the Kabul River Basin.

USAID coordinates closely with other donors active in the WASH sector in Afghanistan, including Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, South Korea, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). In some instances, USAID programs directly through the German Development Bank and UNICEF to leverage resources and avoid duplication of effort.

Overall, these activities are estimated expected to provide more than 700,000 Afghans with sustainable access to basic water supplies and help more than one million Afghans gain access to basic sanitation by 2021.

The Afghanistan Country Plan is costed based on prior year resources still available for programming, the FY 2017 estimated allocation of $10.0 million, and the FY 2018 President’s Budget Request of $5.7 million.

Finding of Water Supply in Afghanistan by USAID:

POPULATION

35.6 M

The total population in the country

WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), 2019

SANITATION

43 %

Population with access to safely managed and basic service sanitation

WHO/UNICEF JMP, 2019

DRINKING WATER

67 %

Population with access to safely managed and basic service drinking water

WHO/UNICEF JMP, 2019

CHILD MORTALITY

6

Diarrhea related under age 5 mortality rate number/1,000 live births

UNICEF, 2016

DRINKING WATER RESULTS

1.5 M

People Gaining Access to Improved Drinking Water due to USG Assistance (FY 2008 - 2017)*

USAID.gov

SANITATION RESULTS

200.0 K

People Gaining Access to Improved Sanitation due to USG Assistance (FY 2008 - 2017)*

USAID.gov

ځوانانو ته یو څو خبری

Personally I love Books. There are those that make you think, make you laugh, motivate and inspire you. Below you'll find more of our best Books under Books tab and if you can't find it please comment the name and subject of the Books and I'll add it from my Online Liborary. Please give me your feedback. thanks in advance

انسان شناسی در قرآن کریم

Personally I love Books. There are those that make you think, make you laugh, motivate and inspire you. Below you'll find more of our best Books under Books tab and if you can't find it please comment the name and subject of the Books and I'll add it from my Online Liborary. Please give me your feedback. thanks in advance

مجموعه از مقالات در مورد دین

Personally I love Books. There are those that make you think, make you laugh, motivate and inspire you. Below you'll find more of our best Books under Books tab and if you can't find it please comment the name and subject of the Books and I'll add it from my Online Liborary. Please give me your feedback. thanks in advance :

Investing in Agriculture Sector

Historically, Afghanistan enjoyed a good reputation in the cultivation of high-end horticultural crops such as raisins, pomegranates, pistachios, and almonds, and possessed a large international market share. In the 1970s, Afghan-cut flowers graced tables from the Middle East to Europe. From India to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, there is a great demand for Afghan table grapes. Now, it is entering a growing and sustainable international market for its high-quality fruits.

About 85% – 90% population in rural areas is engaged in the agriculture sector which plays a vital role in the livelihood of 76% of the total population. It is responsible for about a quarter of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in recent years. Following almost three decades of conflict, the government, farmers, and relevant stakeholders have worked hard to revitalize the agriculture sector. Rural economic development is among the highest priorities of the Afghan government. This also attracts development funds from a host of international donors. There is a high emphasis on investment in agro-business and agro-processing as it has a huge positive impact on the production and consumption of domestic products and the overall economic development of Afghanistan.

Agriculture Sector Contribution in GDP percentage

The current agriculture area of Afghanistan is 9,610 thousand hectares. Investment opportunities in this sector are further divided into subcategories discussed below:

Horticulture: The raw products of horticulture are fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and olives. Many fresh fruits and nuts produced in Afghanistan are of very good quality and are well known worldwide. In 2014-15, the total cultivation area of fresh fruits and vegetables was 257,435 ha and major fruits cultivated were oranges, citrus fruits, apples, pears, apricots, peaches, plums, berries, grapes, watermelons, melons, figs and more. Olives, for example, are cultivated on 2,200 ha and their production for 2012-13 was around 6,600 tons. Afghanistan is also a producer of good quality dry fruits such as raisins, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and peanuts. Grains & Cereals: Wheat and other grains are the main food crops in Afghanistan that are cultivated on irrigated & rain-fed land. The growth in the GDP from agriculture products was between 3%-4% in 2014-15. In 2014-15, the domestic production for cereal products was 674, 4259 tons while potato and beet production reached 351,587 tons.

However, domestic production cannot meet the local demand; hence, Afghanistan imports cereals & grains in huge quantities. Animal Husbandry: Livestock is an inseparable part of the agriculture sector. Traditionally, Afghanistan has been involved in livestock breeding for households, but in the past decade, animal husbandry has become a vital sector for the economic development of the country. Currently, there are 5.3 million cattle, 13.5 million sheep, and 11.1 million chickens. Other than domestic stock, Afghanistan imported 10,392 tons of milk powder, 11,747 tons of beef, and 42,300 tons of chicken meat. Afghanistan also exported 3,707 pieces of sheep and 1,907 tons of Kurk wool which is a clear investment opportunity for the private sector involvement in the leather processing. Seeds, Pulses, Spices & Medical Herbs: Oilseeds and pulses were cultivated on 154,594 ha in 2014-15 and Afghanistan exported 3,936 tons of these seeds during the same period. The country can produce watermelon seeds, alfalfa and clover seeds, sunflower, sesame, linseed and more. Similarly, 3,836 tons of spices and 11,766 tons of medical herbs were exported in 2014-15 while the production of saffron, which is considered one of the best qualities in the world, was 3.4 tons with a cultivation area of 811 ha (4.2 kg production per hectare). Most of the domestic production of Afghanistan is exported to regional and international

Agriculture sub-Sectors

· Horticulture

Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive, etc.

· Cereals & Grains

Wheat, maize, sugar can, sugar beet, barley, etc.

· Animal Husbandry

Dairy, honey, poultry, meat, milk, fish, etc.

o Seeds & Pulses

Sunflower, sesame, linseed, etc.

§ Spices & Medical Herbs

Saffron, cumin, anise, etc.

Investment Opportunities in the Value Chain of Agriculture Sector

Manufacturing & Processing

· Processing dry fruits & nuts

· Manufacturing of jams, juices, sauces

· Processing/manufacturing of olive oil & olive pickle

· Flour mills & sugar mills

· Production of potato snacks

· Manufacturing of cakes and biscuits

· Producing pasteurized dairy products: milk, curd, yogurt, cheese

· Processing meat

· Processing dry meat

· Extracting and processing oils

· Establishing cold storages

· Production of cashmere and its garments

· Cotton processing and cotton yarn production

· Producing leather

Packaging

· Fresh and dry fruit boxes/packages

· Jars, lids, and tins

· Glass and plastic bottles

· Plastic wrappers

· Tetra-pack packaging

Trading & Marketing

· Transport and logistic services

· Market identification services

· Trade partnership building services

· Marketing services

· Branding services

source: www.investinafghanistan.af

Infrastructure of Afghanistan

Infrastructure:

Land Lease in Afghanistan:

Other than the Industrial Parks which are allotted with complete infrastructure (designing & mapping, roads, drainage system, water, and power, etc.) ready for use, the Independent Land Authority of Afghanistan (ARAZI) offers land on lease for long term at a very low cost (USD 4/Jerib per year) and up to 1000 ha lease to a single company for investments in economic activities.

ARAZI has awarded up to 32,000 ha land in 3,000 contracts in the past 5 years. 70 percent of this land was allotted to a variety of industries in the private sector and 30 percent was used by the agriculture sector. More than 20,000 jobs were created in both areas and investments valued at USD 600 million leveraged.

Steps for Leasing Land for Long term Investment through the Independent Land Authority of Afghanistan

Land Award Policy

“First come, first served”

How to Get Land on Lease?

By completing 9 steps and within 50 days you can get land on a long term lease contract for all sectors & industries

Contract Period

Up to 50 Years Lease contract with two time’s renewable option

Land Size

Up to 5000 Jirib or 1000 ha land to one company in one lease contract

Lease Fee

Starts from as minimum as 200 Afghanis or USD 4/Jirib a year

Special Discounts and Favorable Processes

Investments of USD 50 million or above in any sector or industry and 10% for women-owned businesses

Available Land for Lease

Kabul=5060 ha

Nangarhar=37825 ha

Balkh=33560 ha

Herat=7080 ha

Baghlan=8425 ha

Parwan=8360 ha

Roads of Afghanistan:


Action Plan for Railways of Afghanistan

Hairatan – Mazar-e-Sharif

Length: 75 Km Status: Completed

Afghanistan – China – Tajikistan – Kyrgyzstan – Iran

Length: 2100 Km Status: Planned

Bamyan – Kunduz

Length: 230 Km Status: Planned

Jalalabad – Kabul

Length: 120 Km Status: Planned

Bamyan – Herat

Length: 580 Km Status: Planned

Toorkham – Jalalabad

Length: 75 Km Status: Planned

Dilaram – Farah – Herat

Length: 275 Km Status: Planned

Khawaf – Herat

Length: 191 Km Status: Under Construction

Aqina – Sheberghan – Mazar

Length: 300 Km Status: Planned

Uzbekistan – Hairatan

Length: 15 Km Status: 15 Km

Islam Qala – Herat

Length: 124 Km Status: Under Construction

Total Planned Railway Track: 3429 Km                                            Status: To be completed by 2025

Source: www.investinafghanistan.af

Economic Profile of AFG

Investments:

Economic Profile

GDP Growth Rate:

Total GDP:


GDP per Capita:

GDP Formation:

source: www.investinafghanistan.af

Afghanistan Profile

Afghanistan Country Profile

The profile of Afghanistan is a description of the country as seen through the eyes of investors. The scope of this profile is limited to investment centric data of the country.

Official Name of the Country

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Capital: Kabul

Total Provinces: 34

Major Commercial Cities: Kabul, Herat, Nangarhar, Mazar-e Sharif, Kandahar, Helmand, Kunduz

Geographical Profile: The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country situated between South Asia and Central Asia. Afghanistan has four seasons (winter, summer, fall, spring), mountains, water, and forests

Area: 652,000 km2 (252,000 sq. mi), 41st largest in the world

Climate: Arid to semi-arid (cold winters/hot and dry summers) (Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)

Total Land: 65,223ha

Permanent Pasture: 30,000 ha

Forest & Wood Land: 1,700 ha

Fallow Land: 4,286 ha

Irrigated land: 2,177 ha

Cultivated Rain fed Land: 1,447 ha

All other Land: 25,613 ha

Demographic Profile

Total Population: 28.6million

Population Annual Growth Rate: 2.4%

Population Density: 39/km2

Projected Population by 2025: 40.1 million

Projected Population by 2050: 55.9 million

Birth Rate per 1000 Population: 39

Urban Population: 46.3%

Urban Population Growth Rate: 4.6%

Gender

Age Group Distribution


Age Group Distribution


Age Group Distribution

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Source: Investingafghanistan.af