SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): A woman entrepreneur in northern Jawzjan province has transformed a small dairy initiative into a growing business that produces dairy products and creates jobs for women.
Tamana Afshar, a resident of Shiberghan, started her dairy farm four years ago with just two cows and an initial investment of 500,000 afghanis. She now manages a farm with 15 cows and has increased her capital to 700,000 afghanis.
Afshar, who holds degrees in social sciences and economics, said her goal was not only to produce dairy products but also to create employment opportunities for women.
“In the beginning, I started with only two cows, but through hard work and proper management, the number has now reached 15,” she said.
Currently, six women and two trained male workers are employed at the farm, working in areas such as animal care, milking, processing dairy products, and packaging.
According to Afshar, the farm produces around 50 kilograms of milk daily, which is processed into products including fresh milk, yoghurt, cream, cheese, dried curd, butter, and clarified butter.
She said the products are supplied to local markets and have been well received by customers.
Afshar plans to expand the number of cows and increase production in the future to provide more employment opportunities for women.
She also called on authorities to support farmers by providing suitable facilities, animal feed, and vocational training opportunities.
Women working at the farm expressed satisfaction with the opportunity.
Marzia, 48, a mother of eight, said she previously had no source of income but can now contribute to her household expenses. Zahra, another worker, said the job not only provides income but also helps them gain new skills in producing dairy products.
Another employee, Marjan, said working in such an environment has boosted women’s confidence and motivation.
Meanwhile, Samiullah Hakimi, head of livestock and animal health at the provincial agriculture department, said there are currently 15 active livestock farms in Jawzjan, one of which is managed by a woman.
He added that the department plans to support such initiatives and, in cooperation with partner organisations, will launch training and technical programmes to strengthen the capacity of livestock farmers in the province.
hz/sa
