Soybean Seed Research and Production

The first commercial soybean production began in Afghanistan in 2006 with 40 metric tons of two soybean seed varieties imported from Stine Seed Company. After years of testing, seven seed companies from each agricultural zone partnered with NEI to provide farmers with high-yield, certified soybean seeds that are locally grown. And in 2011, seed supply to Afghan farmers became self-sustainable. Seed import is now no longer needed.

NEI is committed to providing farmers with the highest quality non-GMO seeds. To produce high-yield soybeans across all seven ecological zones in Afghanistan, new and improved high-performance seed varieties for each region must be developed through rigorous scientific research. More than 79 soybean varieties have been tested, of which 19 have been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock.