On 3 June, the Department for International Development (DFID) announced £4.5 million of aid to boost trade from Helmand's renovated airfield, which was officially opened on the same day. The airfield opening was attended by Helmand's Governor Gulab Mangal, Afghan Government Ministers, Helmand MPs, the British Ambassador to Afghanistan, Mark Sedwill and the US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry.

On behalf of the Governor and Ministry of Transport, USAID, who work with DFID in the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team, have turned a 2km gravel airstrip into a tarmac runway capable of taking modern civil aircraft connecting Helmand with the rest of Afghanistan and opening up the province for trade. They have also refurbished the terminal building and started the construction of an agricultural centre, adjacent to the airfield.

Bost Airfield is the only completely civilian airstrip in Southern Afghanistan and is the new gateway to Helmand province. DFID funding will build on USAID work, undertaking additional improvements to both sites, costing up to £4.5 million.

This work includes: an internal access road to the terminal building, security infrastructure, barriers to improve safety, parking areas, an external access road to the agriculture centre, an administration building at the agriculture centre, and technical support to the agriculture centre.

The centre will be the focus of food processing so that farmers' produce from the fertile Helmand valley can be prepared for food markets around the country.

The new developments will strengthen counter narcotics work by giving farmers a further incentive to plant legal food crops rather than illegal poppy.

At the opening, the British Ambassador to Afghanistan, Mark Sedwill, said: "This new investment will improve the security, infrastructure and airport facilities needed to turn an airfield into a thriving business centre. Together with the agricultural centre next door , it will help to strengthen Helmand's farming productivity and create more jobs for local people. The opening of the airfield is a symbol of hope and future progress for the people of Helmand."

The US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry said: "I live in Kabul in the U.S. Embassy and I look forward to the day now that I won't have to spend five hours getting into helicopters to get to Helmand and I can catch a direct flight. I'm hoping I can get a discount on tickets."