Saffron:
In the past, Saffron farmers would sell their saffron produce in local markets at a very low price. A number of middlemen would then export this Afghan saffron to Iran and number of countries in the Gulf. As such, Afghan saffron would be branded as Iranian saffron and exported from there to the world market. Despite months of hard work, saffron farmers would benefit the least from this pattern of Saffron export.
In to order to create jobs, give saffron farmers increased profit margins for their produce, and promote this crop as an alternative to opium poppy cultivation, SDO implemented a saffron rural enterprise development project in Ghoryan and Pashtoon Zarghoon districts of Herat. This was funded and supported by MRRD/NABDP/UNDP. These districts are the major saffron producing locations in Afghanistan.
As a facilitating partner of this project, SDO was able to facilitate the creation of three saffron rural enterprises:
1. Almas Saffron Production, Processing and Packing Enterprise (Ghoryan)
2. Khorshid Saffron Production, Processing and Packing Enterprise (Pashtoon Zarghoon)
3. Mahtab Saffron Production, Processing and Packing Enterprise (Pashtoon Zarghoon)
SDO trained the shareholders of these rural enterprises in cultivation, drying, processing and marketing of saffron, based on international standards. MRRD/NABDP/UNDP provided every enterprise a block grant to fund the construction and installation of equipment for these enterprises, comprising 50% of the total investment in each enterprise. The remaining 50% of the investment was the shareholder's contributions.
