The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is pleased to announce the opening of applications for the Matching Grant Scheme under the Emergency Food Security Project (EFSP).

This scheme aims to support agribusinesses involved in Afghanistan’s agricultural value chains by providing matching grants to help expand their operations and contribute to enhanced food security. Applicants are required to complete the application form that you will find in the next step.

Please note the project includes three different matching grant Windows, each with different specificities, values, and requirements. Eligible applicants include for example women-led start-ups, small produce groups, small agri-SMEs, established producer groups, medium to large local market SMEs, processors, aggregators, and export-oriented enterprises.

In order to register an application, please "Create Account and Log in" on the right side of your screen.

Summary of grant windows

Window 1A: Support to women-led and early-stage enterprises

This window provides entry-level support for women-led micro-enterprises, start-up agribusinesses, and small producer groups that face higher barriers to investment and formalisation. Window 1A prioritises compact   production, processing, or marketing; start-up agribusinesses operating for less than three years; small producer groups with basic governance structures; and youth-led enterprises.

 To be eligible, applicants must have been operating for less than three years or be newly formalizing informal activity, not less than one year. They must have annual turnover of at least USD 3,000 and hold valid registration or commit to register before grant agreement signature. There is no minimum number of employees.

Applicants should demonstrate linkages with at least 5 farming households.

For the business plan requirement, applicants complete a simplified business profile embedded in the grant application form. This short narrative covers business description, proposed investment, farmer linkages, basic financial information, and implementation timeline.

Window 1B: Support to small agri-SMEs and established producer groups

This window supports small agribusinesses and producer groups that have demonstrated an operational track record and are ready to expand. These enterprises have stronger governance and financial systems and can absorb larger investments.

Eligible applicants include small agri-SMEs engaged in value addition, processing, aggregation, or marketing; established producer groups and associations with at least three years of operation; and enterprises with existing market linkages seeking to grow.

The grant size ranges from USD 15,001 to USD 30,000.

Co-contribution requirements are as follows. Women-led enterprises must contribute at least 20 percent of the grant value. Other applicants must contribute at least 50 percent. Up to 40 percent of the co-contribution may be provided in-kind, with the remainder in cash.

For example, a women-led enterprise receiving a USD 25,000 grant must contribute USD 5,000. Of this amount, up to USD 2,000 may be in-kind and at least USD 3,000 must be in cash.

To be eligible, applicants must have been operating for three years or more and have annual turnover of at least USD 10,000. They must have at least three employees, hold valid business registration, and maintain basic financial records for at least two years.

Applicants should demonstrate linkages with at least 20 farming households.

For the business plan requirement, applicants submit a standard business profile together with the grant application form. This includes business description, market analysis, farmer linkage plan, 12-month financial projection, risk assessment, and evidence of co-financing.

Window 2: Support to local market SMEs

This window targets small and medium agribusinesses operating at provincial and national levels that serve domestic markets. These include processors, aggregators, packhouses, and cold storage operators that play a critical role in reducing post-harvest losses and creating reliable market outlets for farmers.

Eligible applicants include SMEs operating at provincial or national level, processors and aggregators, packhouses and cold storage operators, input suppliers and service providers, and producer organisations with established commercial operations.

The grant size ranges from USD 30,000 to 60,000.

Co-contribution requirements are as follows. Women-led enterprises must contribute at least 25 percent of the grant value. Other applicants must contribute at least 50 percent. Up to 30 percent of the co-contribution may be provided in-kind, with the remainder in cash.

For example, a male-led enterprise receiving a USD 50,000 grant must contribute USD 25,000. Of this amount, up to USD 7,500 may be in-kind and at least USD 17,500 must be in cash.

To be eligible, applicants must have been operating for three years or more and have annual turnover of at least USD 50,000. They must have at least five employees, hold valid business registration, and maintain audited financial statements or equivalent records for at least two years. They must also demonstrate existing domestic market linkages through buyer contracts or supply agreements.

Applicants should demonstrate linkages with at least 50 farming households.

For the business plan requirement, applicants submit a full business plan with financial model together with the grant application form. This includes all standard elements plus 12 to 24 month financial projections with cash flow analysis.

Window 2 is for enterprises serving domestic markets. Applicants with demonstrated export activity or verified export contracts should apply to Window 3. 

Window 3: Support to export-oriented enterprises

This window supports commercial enterprises engaged in export of agricultural products or supplying major national buyers. The focus is on improving competitiveness in international markets for high-value Afghan commodities such as saffron, dried fruits, and nuts.

Eligible applicants include export-oriented agribusinesses with demonstrated export experience, enterprises with verified contracts from major national or international buyers, and businesses holding or actively pursuing international certification.

The grant size ranges from USD 60,000 to 100,000.

Window 3 applicants must demonstrate export readiness at application stage by providing at least one of the following: a verified export contract or letter of credit from an international buyer; a verified off-take agreement with a major national buyer; current certification under ISO, HACCP, GLOBALG.A.P., organic, or equivalent; or evidence of export shipments within the past 24 months. Applicants who cannot provide this evidence should apply to Window 2.

Co-contribution requirements are as follows. Women-led enterprises must contribute at least 30 percent of the grant value. Other applicants must contribute at least 50 percent. Up to 30% of the co-contribution may be provided in-kind, with the remainder in cash.

For example, a male-led enterprise receiving a USD 90,000 grant must contribute USD 45,000. Of this amount, up to USD 13,500 may be in-kind and at least USD 31,500 must be in cash.

To be eligible, applicants must have been operating for three years or more and have annual turnover of at least USD 100,000. They must have at least five employees, hold valid business registration, and maintain audited financial statements for at least two years. They must also provide verified export evidence as described above.

Applicants should demonstrate linkages with at least 100 farming households.

For the business plan requirement, applicants submit a full business plan and export strategy together with the grant application form. In addition to standard requirements, this must include export market analysis, certification pathway, and logistics plan.

For specialised equipment not available locally or where procurement complexity is significant, Window 3 grantees may request FAO-facilitated procurement. Such requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Technical Review Committee.

Other requirements applying to all windows

All grant recipients must demonstrate how their investment will benefit smallholder farmers. The minimum expected linkages are 10 households for Window 1A, 20 for Window 1B, 50 for Window 2, and 100 for Window 3. 

Acceptable forms of linkage include supply agreements, input provision, shared use of assets, training and extension services, and aggregation arrangements. Scoring criteria for farmer linkages are provided in Section 6.

Across the portfolio, at least 30 percent of supported enterprises will be women-led. Window 1A serves as the primary pathway for achieving this target. Proposals that expand women's participation in production, processing, and decision-making receive additional consideration during scoring.

FAO will then assess eligibility and evaluate the potential impact and feasibility of proposed investments.

In order to register an application, please  "Create Account and Log in" on the right side of your screen.

The submission of the applications will start on the date indicated on the right side of your screen. You can already start collecting the supporting documents you will need during the application phase, including: business license/certificate, national ID.

For more clarifications or questions, please contact us FAOAF-Grants@fao.org