Beyond borders: Afghan women entrepreneurs breaking into regional markets

Afghan women entrepreneurs are expanding their footprint in export markets across South Asia and the Gulf, defying the odds and reaching beyond borders to grow their businesses.

For generations, women in Afghanistan have been at the heart of local economies, innovating, producing and creating jobs – too often without the recognition they deserve. Today, despite mounting restrictions and economic uncertainty, Afghan women entrepreneurs are tapping into regional trade opportunities with resilience, vision and determination.

In January 2025, a delegation of women from the Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Herat, in western Afghanistan, showcased their food products at an international expo in Oman, with support from UN Women Afghanistan.

“I never imagined I’d have the chance to represent my business in another country,” said one 32-year-old entrepreneur from Herat Province. “It was more than just selling products – it was proving to myself and others that Afghan women are capable of thriving, anywhere.”

This woman leads the Afghan Chashni Food Industry Company – a business she started after the Taliban takeover that produces saffron and food spices. She already employs three women who work part-time for the company.

“We purchase 1 kg of high-quality saffron from farmers in Herat at up to AFG 97,000 [around USD $1,405] and sell it at about AFG 120,000 [around USD $1,740],” the woman said.

“My plan is to buy land where I can expand my company and eventually employ 50 to 60 women. I wish all girls and women had the opportunity to study, work and succeed.”

At the Oman expo, she secured a two-year contract with the Asia Food Union to export saffron and other spices.

According to the de facto authorities’ Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, saffron production is on the rise in Afghanistan, reaching 40 metric tons in 2024.

Other Afghan products, such as raisins, almonds and walnuts are also in high demand across the region and beyond.

“Pistachios – a specialty of Badghis Province (in northwestern Afghanistan) – are especially popular overseas,” said another Herat businesswoman, aged 42, who launched her business in 2017 and also attended the Oman expo.

“My goal is to expand my business and export to Arab nations.”

For many Afghan women, the chance to work, earn an income and connect with others outside the home brings confidence, healing and hope. However, with shrinking employment prospects, many women are left searching for alternative ways to sustain their livelihoods.

As Afghanistan continues to face economic hardship, regional markets are becoming vital lifelines for women to sustain their livelihoods. Cross-border trade opportunities with neighbouring countries – such as Pakistan, Iran, India and other markets in Central Asia – offer Afghan women access to buyers, shared cultural ties and overland logistical routes.

The January expo in Oman, attended by the women entrepreneurs from Herat, led to other encouraging results, including: export contracts signed, including with one company for a monthly supply of saffron; ongoing negotiations with other traders; and high-level meetings with the Oman Chamber of Commerce, Al-Buraimi Municipality, and Asia Food Union that laid the groundwork for strategic partnerships and retail opportunities.

Yet, challenges remain. Exporting even 1kg of saffron can cost up to USD $200 in transport costs. Further, many women in Afghanistan are unable to open bank accounts and face severe legal and social restrictions – including on travel – that continue to pose formidable barriers.

But Afghan women are not backing down. They are determined to not only survive, but to lead.

UN Women will stand by them as they continue to prove the value of Afghanistan’s export markets to buyers in the region and beyond.