In rural Daikundi, many almond farmers are using rudimentary irrigation schemes like furrow irrigation to water almond trees. However, over long distances, a lot of water is lost with furrow irrigation. Today, climate change is leading to ever more frequent droughts in Afghanistan. Improving irrigation systems thus becomes a necessity for farmers. It enables them to build up resilience and is a key measure for them to adapt to climate change.
This year, we are supporting two irrigation channel projects in Miramor, Daikundi. Water is taken from a natural surface water source and led to the villagers farming grounds. The first channel covers a length of 1.4 kilometers and will directly benefit about a 100 villagers in three tiny hamlets: Qalah, Deh and Qad-e-Sang. The second channel covers a length of 800 meters and will benefit about 70 people in the village Sakestar.
For both projects we received video applications from the villagers that our project manager Naim helped record. The villagers will install the hoses themselves. To do so, it is necessary to dig out a channel and bury the hoses underground so that they are protected from heat and cold. Thus, their involvement early on is key for the success of the projects.
The villagers estimate that the two projects will contribute to a significant increase in their harvests, as trees which have so far not been properly irrigated will now receive sufficient water. They also plan to plant more crops on the newly irrigated land such as barely and wheat.
Today, on the 21st of May, 2023, our project manager organised the transport of the hoses for the first channel to Qalah.
We are grateful to the NGO Jugend Eine Welt for their generous support which makes this project possible.
The building of the channel and laying of the hoses is a community project. Everyone is helping out and working together.
I am really impressed by these projects! Most of all that the ideas for them seem to come totally from the villagers themselves. So this is not the typical paternalistic way of development assistence, this ist the way to make these people autonomous and self-important. Congratulations!