The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced that it has provided solar dryers to 50 women farmers in Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh province, and trained them in how to use the equipment.

On Sunday (8 November), the organisation said the programme was launched to strengthen women’s economic activities, increase income-generating opportunities and improve the use of locally grown agricultural produce.

According to the ICRC, women participating in the programme can use the solar dryers to dry their agricultural produce and prepare it for storage and sale. This method helps them process their products and prevent some of their produce from going to waste.

The organisation added that the women who completed the training are now displaying their dried products at a dried fruit exhibition in Mazar-e-Sharif and earning income from their sales.

Such opportunities are particularly important at a time when restrictions on employment and economic activities have made it difficult for many Afghan women to work and achieve financial independence. Supporting women farmers can help strengthen their economic independence, contribute to meeting their families’ needs and expand small-scale production activities.