Improvement of dairy & beef cattle Afghanistan Beef and dairy products are an important part of the Afghan diet. Local cattle is high in number but low on production. Cattle holders seek ways to improve their stock as they cannot meet local demand. Importing cattle is very challenging in a country like Afghanistan. NGOs and donor organisations set up small artificial insemination (AI) projects. This helped to some extend to improve livestock, but as funding is limited, it is not sustainable. The applicant has successfully set up AI businesses in forty countries, including developing markets. With an Afghan-Dutch national they elaborated a plan to approach the vast but challenging Afghan market. They contacted the local partner who runs a seed business and has many cattle owners as customer. Together with a cattle trading company they agreed on a business model. The core business is to provide imported semen to local cows and to breed a stock of improved Afghan bulls for local semen production. Insemination will be done by 50 employed and 100 free-lance inseminators. As there are virtually no veterinary services available, the joint venture will provide a comprehensive package including medication, improved feed and "comfort products". Although there are some big cattle owners in Afghanistan, the main group of potential customers are small cattle holders. The majority of these small-owners are women who are culturally not allowed to work outdoors and selling milk is often their only source of cash income. They cannot be approached by male inseminators and therefore the joint venture will train at least 75 female inseminators. The joint venture aims to inseminate 0.5% of the total number of cows in Afghanistan in the first three years.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)The most relevant risks are addressed: corruption and labour rights.The joint venture has to invest a lot of effort in training inseminators and cannot afford to lose them. This is the major group of employees. Animal welfare is also commercially important. The breeding stock will be kept at the best conditions possible.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsMost employees will be extensively trained as inseminators. The joint venture will make sure that they receive adequate benefits as they play a pivotal role in commercial success. The other employees will also receive wages above living standards and fringe benefits like meals, transport, medical treatment etc.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeMost employees will be extensively trained as inseminators.•	Chain effectsImpact on local suppliersMinor effect, mostly on the suppliers of feed and fodder.High impact on local customers/consumersAnimal husbandry is economically very important in Afghanistan. A successful AI programme will enable cattle holders to raise the revenues of their stock without taking the risks involved with importing animals.•	Impact on the sectorAll commercial parties benefit from better producing cattle, like dairy processors, butchers, veterinary services, etc.•	Position of womenHalf the smallholder cattle owners are women for whom cows are often the only source of cash income. Half of the inseminators to be employed are women.•	Impact on food safetyCattle is a major source of food. To set up a facility that can sell 30,000 inseminations per year as well as cattle related products.