Constraints Faced by the Farmers in the Production and Marketing of Onions in Nangarhar, Afghanistan

This study investigates the socioeconomic characteristics, production constraints, and marketing challenges of onion farmers and traders in Nangarhar, Afghanistan. The objectives were to examine farmers' socioeconomic conditions and to identify production and marketing problems with possible solutions. Primary data were collected from 136 farmers and 60 traders using structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, the Constraint Faced Index (CFI), and the Garrett Ranking Technique. Results showed that most farmers (35.29%) and traders (31.67%) were aged 31–40 years, while more than half of the farmers (52.21%) were illiterate compared to (28.33%) of traders holding a bachelor’s degree. Severe production problems included pest outbreaks (93.38%), poor seed quality (90.26%), and water scarcity (86.03%). Farmers also faced low prices (92.65%) and lack of market access (88.24%), while traders reported poor infrastructure, absence of a unified market, and weak trade organizations. Addressing these constraints through quality inputs, farmer training, storage facilities, and stronger market institutions can improve onion productivity and marketing efficiency in Nangarhar.