Mursal’s poultry feed production room in Ishqabad village, Parwan. @FAO

Mursal, a resilient mother of seven from Ishqabad village in Parwan province, has changed her life and community through determination and hard work. With limited educational opportunities, Mursal completed only up to seventh grade and relied on traditional farming practices to sustain her family. Her journey from basic subsistence to entrepreneurial success is an inspiring story of progress.

Before participating in the “Household Food and Livelihood Security (HFLS)” project, funded by the Government of Luxemburg, Mursal owned just eight chickens, selling 5-6 eggs daily to meet her family’s basic needs. “Life was challenging and our resources were limited,” Mursal said.

The project aims to address food insecurity and malnutrition in the districts of Char Asyab, Jabal Seraj, Mohammad Agha, and Qarghayee. It has reached 9 682 vulnerable households, benefiting 68 008 individuals, including 1 706 female-headed households during 2021 to 2024, the project promotes sustainable and resilient livelihoods while fostering social support mechanisms.

When the project surveyed her district, Mursal was selected as a beneficiary for the poultry farming programme. She joined a newly formed group of 18 members, each receiving a poultry package consisting of 30 chickens, 300 kilograms of feed, feeders, drinkers, and essential tools. Under the guidance of FAO field staff, the group participated in regular training sessions, learning modern poultry farming techniques.

“I learned so much from the training sessions,” Mursal said. “The guidance helped me implement best practices in my daily tasks, ensuring our success.”

Mursal’s commitment extended beyond her own coop. Recognizing the importance of collaboration, her group tackled challenges together, including the unavailability of affordable and quality chicken feed. To address this, members pooled 45 000 Afghanis as revolving capital, each contributing 2 500 Afghanis. They built a room for feed production using locally available materials.

Their efforts gained further support when the Dutch Committee for Afghanistan donated a feed mixer and pellet machine worth USD 4 000. Inspired by this progress, Mursal personally invested in a 1 000-egg incubator for 150 000 Afghanis, further boosting production.

Since August 2024, Mursal’s group has produced and sold over one tonnes of feed to local poultry owners, contributing to community sustainability and generating income. In just three months, the group produced 12 841 kg of feed, earning 18 000 Afghani from sales.

In addition to feed production, Mursal’s 80 laying hens have significantly improved her family’s food security and economic stability. Egg sales provide a steady income, inspiring her to expand her operations.

“I plan to expand my poultry farm and help others in my community access affordable feed and chicks,” Mursal says.

Despite her achievements, she acknowledges the challenges that remain and hopes for continued support from FAO and other organizations to scale her impact further.

Mursal’s story highlights the transformative potential of small-scale interventions when combined with education and collaboration. Her determination has lifted her family out of poverty and inspired hope within her community.

“This project showed me that with a little support and a lot of hard work, we can change our lives,” Mursal says.

Her journey embodies the resilience of Afghan women and their ability to thrive, even in the most challenging circumstances.