Poultry Production in Afghanistan: Trends, Challenges, and Future Prospects

The demand for poultry products is steadily increasing globally as well as in Afghanistan, driven primarily by human population growth, economic development, and urbanisation. A clear understanding of Afghanistan’s poultry sector is crucial for policy direction towards food security and rural development. The present study aimed to evaluate the current status of poultry farming and highlight the key challenges and future view of poultry production in Afghanistan. The study was synthesized from the available literature, government reports, and international datasets to provide a coherent overview of Afghanistan's poultry sector. Particular attention was given to identifying data inconsistencies and research gaps to guide evidence-based policies. The trend of investment in Afghanistan's poultry sector increased from 0.5 billion AFN (71.42 million USD) in 1986 to 200 billion AFN (2.85 billion USD) in 2022. Currently, a total of approximately 11,000 commercial poultry farms are operating across the country, which can produce about 219,000 metric tons (MT) of meat, while the total market demand is estimated as 295,000 MT in 2024. The available poultry meat in Afghanistan covers only approximately 46% of the World Health Organization's recommended rate per capita. However, the sector development is hindered by different factors such as traditional practices, poor infrastructure, lack of technical expertise, disease outbreaks, uncontrolled use of antimicrobial agents, poor input quality, and end-product price variation. The poultry sector's average annual growth rate in Afghanistan is estimated as 13.8%, and the future production capacity is projected to reach 400,332 MT by 2030. Poultry production in Afghanistan is gradually increasing, driven by growing market demand. However, the current production level still cannot meet the market demands in the country. The present findings contribute to a clearer understanding of poultry development priorities for national food security and sustainable growth in Afghanistan. Keywords: Chicken, Market, Meat, Poultry production