Mahmood Raqi (PAN): Kapisa officials said economy of the people mainly depends on agriculture and livestock that’s why dams are being built in various parts of the province.  
 
The officials said building more dams would help strengthen and stabilize local economy. Residents said they still face serious shortage of irrigation water.  
 
Kapisa Governor Gen. Mehrabuddin Sapi told Pajhwok Afghan News currently transit route is passing through his province connecting Tangi with Salang, promising that economic center would be built somewhere in Kohistan.  
 
Agriculture:
 
Sayyed Maskin Saifi, head of agriculture department said main profession of Kapisa people is agriculture who promised water of Panjsher Rivers would be utilized to bolster the agro sector. Around 26,655 hectares of land is water-fed while the rest 1,395 hectares is rain-fed. 
 
Saifi said Kapisa produces thousands of tons crops every year including wheat, rice, bean, potatoes fruits such as grapes, pomegranate which are being exported abroad including Pakistan and India. 
 
He said Najrab and Alasai districts produces tens of tons of walnuts which were exported to Pakistan, adding if trade center and storage facilities are built then the dry fruit would be exported to other countries.
 
Agriculture officials extend their all out support to provide the farmer community with refined seeds and plantation facilities in an attempt to bolster the crop production, he added. Saifi informed as many as 116 groups including female workers elsewhere in the province are working to facilitate Kapisa farmers and to create awareness among them.
 
He said his government following extended cooperation by foreign NGOs has established fisheries, raising bee and chicken forms with cold storages in a number of districts. However, most of the farmers in Kapisa complain of irrigation water shortage. Atta Muhammad, a resident of Tagab Mirakhel said his community faces acute water shortage. He said if a dam is built on the Alasai River then it would help irrigate thousands of land, which would multiply the crops. Currently, farmers of Mirakhel irrigate their land and orchards with the help of tube wells, which costs them instead of getting good outcome.
 
Atta Muhammad went on to complain they are facing problems in getting seeds and fertilizers because they buy everything on cash while in return they do not get enough crop product.
 
Zabihullah, a tribal elder of Tagab told reconstruction work done to make the canals and Karez system better has low quality because the allocated money ended up in personal pockets.
 
“Pomegranate and apricot have no cold storage facilities in Kapisa. The province has the capacity to produce first class fruits and if the agriculture ministry extends its cooperation the widely known pomegranate and apricot can be exported to foreign countries. The move will leave positive impact on the local economic market,” he suggested.
 
Hussain Sanjni, head of provincial council said pledges made to the farmers of Kapisa to promote the agriculture sector could not be materialized. He admitted farmers are extended with every available support.
 
Veterinary and agriculture centers have been opened in different districts, saying the agriculture department extends every possible help to the farmer community by arranging awareness programs to further bolster their crop production.
 
He however, admitted despite all the development projects, basic infrastructure could not be developed in the economy sector.
 
Since 2009, plants are distributed among people in Kapisa, head of provincial agriculture said, adding his ministry has arranged multiple curing programs for farmer community. Following extended cooperation by some NGOs, orchards of different fruits are established in various localities, he added.
 
Saifi revealed refined seeds of 1, 783 tons, amounting to 12 million Afs, were distributed among farmers last year.
 
He informed home work is done for setting up temporary animals’ insemination centers where animals will be inseminated by veterinary doctors in different areas. An irrigation project is extended to different areas of Kapisa, and Najrab would see building of power dam next year. The agriculture minister said 80 percent construction work done to build a dam in Tagab with the financial assistance by the French government, he informed.
 
Lal Gul, a farmer from Najrab’s Pichghan locality said his community did not get enough support and their problems could not be properly addressed. The refined seeds distributed by the agriculture department were not enough and the money allocated for distribution of seeds went to the pocket of agriculture department officials.
 
Trade and investment:
 
Kapisa chamber of commerce officials admitted big investment or trade projects could not be initiated in the province to help bolster people’s economy.
 
Haji Zahir, head of Kapisa commerce said his province is ignored comparatively in terms of uplift projects. “Provision of electricity, construction of transit route, business centers and establishment of industrial zone will woo and attract more investment to Kapisa,” he added.
 
He said the government should have construct textile factory and another industry to produce from fresh fruits from juice. 
 
Handicraft:
 
Handicraft is considered the backbone of local industry and plays a highly significant role in local economy. Jamila while expressing satisfaction by working in handcraft sector said the business was booming but now it is facing a downward trend.
 
She demands the central government to establish a proper market for handicraft to boost the economy of the thousands of families associated with the business.
 
Saifura Kohistani, head of women affairs department said tens of women are associated with the business of handicraft where they make different kinds of clothes and other daily use stuff.
 
She said widowed and other women who have no male to depend on, fulfill their economic needs from the business. She said the handicraft market is experiencing a short decline these days.
 
Officials promised efforts are on to bolster security in the province, which would help double the number of visiting tourists to Kapisa in summer season and to project the local handicraft.