Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock

What Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock does

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) is the government ministry of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan responsible for developing the country's farming, livestock, horticulture, irrigation, natural resource, and land administration sectors. Operating under the Islamic Emirate, the ministry is headquartered in Kabul at Karti Sakhi Avenue, Jamal Mena, and employs approximately 7,669 staff (1,968 central and 5,701 provincial) deployed across all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. Service delivery is executed through provincial agriculture directorates and district-level extension management units, supported by a free farmer consultation hotline (150), demonstration farms, and farmer field schools.

MAIL's core service portfolio spans four sectors — Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, and Natural Resources — and includes distribution of improved seeds and subsidized fertilizers, modern irrigation technologies (drip and solar-powered), livestock vaccination and protection programs, plant protection and quarantine services, strategic grain reserves, land surveying and registration, agricultural research via the Agricultural Research Institute, and the weekly Dehqan publication. Its technology backbone comprises an internal Management Information System (MIS) and a Land Information System (LIS) for cadastral and property rights data, alongside a public-facing website and social media channels.

The ministry does not generate commercial revenue. It is funded through Afghan national government budget allocations and international donor financing from FAO, USAID, IFAD, the European Union, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, JICA, SIDA, and numerous other partners, with whom it co-implements development projects such as NHLP, SNaPP2, NVDA, CLAP, OMAID, HVCDSP, and CBARD. Customers are Afghan farmers, gardeners, livestock holders, and private sector investors across all 34 provinces, with no commercial pricing applied to core public services.

Name

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock

Legal name

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock

Website

https://mail.gov.af

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) is the government ministry of Afghanistan responsible for agricultural development, irrigation, livestock, natural resource management, and land administration, delivering extension services across all 34 provinces to farmers, gardeners, livestock holders, and private sector investors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Services

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry (115), Support Activities for Animal Production (1152), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFACAJAN

Capital Projects & Farm Expansion Advisory (Feasibility, Site Planning, ROI)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Farm Management & Operational Advisory Services

SECONDARYAFACAFAD

Irrigation Operation, Maintenance & Repair (Pumps, Valves, Controllers)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Irrigation & Water Management Services (Design, Scheduling, Maintenance)

SECONDARYAFACAFAM

Water Rights, Permitting & Compliance Services (Allocations, Reporting)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Irrigation & Water Management Services (Design, Scheduling, Maintenance)

Keywords

• Agricultural extension services
• Irrigation infrastructure management
• Livestock health programs
• Natural resource management
• Land administration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kabul

HQ country

Afghanistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: The ministry is funded through national government budget allocations and international donor funding to carry out its public mandate of agricultural development, irrigation, livestock, and natural resource management across Afghanistan.
2. International Donor Funding: Multiple international donors (FAO, USAID, IFAD, EU, ADB, World Bank, SIDA, JICA, and others) fund and co-implement ministry programs and projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) is Afghanistan's national government ministry responsible for developing and regulating the agriculture, irrigation, livestock, and natural resource sectors. It provides free public services including agricultural extension, distribution of improved seeds and fertilizers, modern irrigation technology implementation, livestock health and vaccination programs, plant protection and quarantine, land administration, agricultural research, and a national farmer helpline. It delivers these services through 34 provincial directorates, district-level extension units, and multiple donor-funded development projects.

Product overview

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) of Afghanistan operates as a government ministry with four core sectors: Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, and Natural Resources. The ministry provides a comprehensive portfolio of agricultural services including extension programs, improved seed distribution, modern irrigation technologies (drip irrigation, solar-powered irrigation), livestock protection, and natural resource management. MAIL manages multiple development projects including NHLP, SNaPP2, NVDA, CLAP, OMAID, HVCDSP, and CBARD. The ministry offers practical farmer services such as a free helpline (150), agricultural research through the Agricultural Research Institute, plant protection and quarantine services, strategic grain reserves, and land management services. Key publications include the Dehqan Weekly agricultural newspaper.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agriculture Sector Services Provides agricultural extension services, improved cultivation methods training, distribution of improved seeds and chemical fertilizers at subsidized rates, and introduction of early-maturing crop varieties to Afghan farmers nationwide.
• Irrigation Sector Services Implements modern irrigation technologies including drip irrigation, solar-powered irrigation, and water-saving methods to increase agricultural production while reducing water waste for Afghan farmers and gardeners.
• Livestock Sector Services Manages Afghanistan's livestock sector valued at over seven billion dollars, implementing livestock protection programs, vaccination campaigns, improved animal breeds, animal feed support, and drought relief for vulnerable livestock holders nationwide.
• Natural Resources Sector Services
• National Horticulture and Livestock Project (NHLP)
• Support to National Priority Program 2 (SNaPP2)
• Nangarhar Valley Development Authority (NVDA)
• Community Livestock and Agriculture Project (CLAP)
• Horticulture Value Chain Development Sector Project (HVCDSP)
• Community Based Agriculture and Rural Development (CBARD)
• Strategic Grain Reserves
• Plant Protection and Quarantine Services
• Free Farmer Helpline (150)
• Agricultural Research Services
• Agricultural Mechanization Services
• Land Management and Administration Services
• Saffron Promotion Program
• Dehqan Weekly Publication

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7 million jeribs of land reviewed and protected from land grabbing; 454,000 jeribs allocated to private sector
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DAI (Markets and Livelihoods Framework)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDAI implements market-oriented and livestock value chain development programs in partnership with the ministry.
• UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNODC cooperates on alternative livelihood programs and crop substitution initiatives related to the ministry's mandate to support diversified and licit crop cultivation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): UN specialized agency leading international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. A core financial and technical partner to MAIL and the closest international counterpart in agricultural development mandate, though it operates globally rather than as a national ministry.
• World Food Programme (WFP): UN agency addressing global hunger and food emergencies. A thematically related organization that frequently partners with MAIL on food security and emergency response in Afghanistan, and shares the operational challenge of building resilient food systems in fragile states.
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): UN agency financing rural and agricultural development in low-income countries. A core financial partner to MAIL and directly comparable in targeting smallholder farmers, rural poverty reduction, and value-chain development in fragile states.
• ICARDA (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas): CGIAR research center focused on agricultural development in non-tropical dry areas. Highly relevant peer given Afghanistan's arid climate and similar mission of developing drought-tolerant crops, livestock breeds, and water-efficient farming systems — particularly relevant for MAIL's livestock and crop improvement programs.
• CGIAR System Organization: Global research partnership for a food-secure future, coordinating international agricultural research centers. A thematically related research and innovation partner whose outputs (improved seed varieties, livestock genetics, agronomic practices) feed directly into MAIL's extension and crop improvement programs.

Regional players

• Bangladesh — Ministry of Agriculture: Bangladesh's central ministry for crop production, agricultural extension, input distribution, and farmer support. Analogous to MAIL in operating a nationwide extension network for smallholder farmers in a South Asian agrarian economy, though at higher population density.
• Pakistan — Ministry of National Food Security & Research: Pakistan's federal ministry overseeing agriculture, livestock, food security, and agricultural research. Operates in an adjacent geography with comparable arid-to-semi-arid agricultural conditions, similar smallholder farmer base, and parallel livestock-and-crop mandate.

Direct peers

• India — Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: India's central ministry responsible for agriculture, horticulture, farmer welfare, and agricultural extension. Most directly comparable to MAIL given similar developing-country agricultural context, large smallholder farmer base, and parallel mandate across crop production, irrigation, and farmer support services.

Broad incumbents

• Germany — Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL): Germany's federal ministry for food, agriculture, rural development, and consumer protection. A broader incumbent peer with comparable sectoral mandate including crop production, livestock, and natural resource management, though operating in a high-income, highly-mechanized agricultural context.
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): U.S. federal department responsible for agriculture, forestry, rural economic development, and food assistance. A broad incumbent with a directly analogous regulatory and program mandate across farming, livestock, and natural resources, though operating at vastly greater scale and budget capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MAIL_AF
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGuqvwjKEsyiBTzzOEMMN4w
• Facebookfacebook.com/MAIL.Afghanistan
• LinkedIninstagram.com/mail.afg
• Instagraminstagram.com/mail.afg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock