HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): With illegal migration on the rise among jobless Afghan youth, a food factory in western Herat shows how local employment can be a powerful tool in reversing this dangerous trend.
Workers at a food production factory in Herat believe that creating domestic job opportunities can help curb this troubling trend.
They are urging the government and investors to address the crisis of youth migration by promoting job creation through local investment.
The workers emphasize the importance of supporting young people by providing them with suitable employment opportunities within the country.
A protein-based food production factory in Herat province, which produces more than ten tons of sausages and cold cuts daily, has created jobs for over 100 local residents — a development warmly welcomed by the youth.
Shakib Ahmad, a young employee at the factory, says that although he was unable to continue his education, he is now satisfied and grateful to have found work and a steady income in Herat.
He said that economic challenges and job scarcity have not only deprived many young people of educational opportunities but have also forced a significant number into risky, illegal migration.
Ahmad urges government officials and investors to create employment opportunities within the country to prevent the illegal migration of young Afghans, who he describes as the active workforce of the nation.
Ghulam Farooq, another factory worker who spent over two years illegally in Iran, cites lack of employment as the primary reason for his migration. Now back in Afghanistan, he is able to support his ten-member family through his job at the factory.
He also urges entrepreneurs and investors to expand domestic manufacturing facilities to generate more job opportunities for the country’s youth and broader population.
Meanwhile, officials at the food factory say they are working to expand operations in order to employ more people, particularly young individuals.
Mohammad Yousuf Rasheedi, the owner of the sausage and cold cut factory, says the facility currently produces 12 varieties of products and meets the demand for such foods in Herat and the broader western region of Afghanistan.
He believes that with government support, the factory could meet the entire domestic demand for sausages and cold cuts across the country.
Established in 2011 with an investment of over $2 million, the factory now employs more than 100 workers in various departments — an initiative that has helped prevent illegal migration among local youth.
Rasheedi stresses the need to restrict the import of foreign products that are already being produced locally.
He urges government authorities to raise customs tariffs on such imports to protect and promote domestic industries.
In response, officials from the Herat Department of Commerce and Industry say they are taking steps to support local investors and manufacturers by increasing tariffs on imported goods that compete with domestic products.
Mohammad Basheer Seerat, the department head, acknowledged the challenges surrounding youth employment and the influx of low-quality imports.
However, he confirmed that government officials have implemented measures to protect local industries, including raising tariffs and limiting imports of similar goods.
Seerat added that more than 5,000 people are currently employed directly in factories within Herat’s industrial park, and that this number is expected to grow with the opening of new production facilities.
The Herat Industrial Park is considered one of the largest industrial and manufacturing hubs in Afghanistan.
According to the Department of Industry and Commerce, more than 1,000 factories producing a variety of goods are currently operating in the park.
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