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Improving Water System in Afghanistan Boosts Agriculture
Business By Ehsanollah Bayat
Introduction
A top priority in many parts of Afghanistan is the quality and efficiency of the nation’s water supply. The Bayat Foundation has been very active in this area, having raised funds and overseen the installation of clean water wells in several urban and rural districts throughout the nation.
In addition to drinking water, issues of agricultural water use are also critical. According to a World Bank report this summer, there has been significant progress toward improving water management in Afghanistan. Especially successful is the On Farm Water Management Project, an initiative of the World Bank’s Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund.
On Farm Water Management Project
The On Farm Water Management Project has introduced improved irrigation schemes to farmers in Eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. The overhauled canal system provides a quicker, more flexible means to distribute water to fields. Other improvements to the irrigation system included lining the ancient canals with concrete, adding filters to catch debris, and leveling the land using laser technology.
The improvements have paid off handsomely: productivity has doubled, as have farmers’ incomes.