Monday, January 25, 2016
Kabul (BNA) Last year proved to be a record breaking year for the production of soybean in Afghanistan Nutrition Education International (NEI), in partnership with Afghan farmers produced 4,000 MT of soybean. This is a one hundred percent increase of soybean production in comparison to last year. Last year, 2,000 MT soybeans were produced by the NEI farmers. That figure is increasing dramatically to over 4,000 MT in 2015 due to the hard work of over 12, 000 farmers throughout the country. NEI supported Afghan farmers by providing high quality seeds, fertilizers, postharvest equipment, and bought soybeans for processing. Farmers earn an income and become aware of soy nutrition which is high in protein and essential amino acids. Soybean farming also enriches the soil and helps with wheat farming, the first crop of the year. The Afghan market demands for NEI’s soya flour is 300 MT used for soybean, soy cookies, and other products. Afghanistan is finding out that soy is as good as meat when it comes to protein and much less expensive. Soy can easily be incorporated into traditional Afghan meals as well. Based on NEI findings after the harvest season there is a low amount of soybeans available in the market. Soybeans are either eaten by Afghan farmers or stored as seeds for the following year’s cultivation. NEI processes soybean in seven processes of the country: Parwan, Kapisa, Takhar, Kunduz, Nangarhar, Herat and Kabul provinces.
