17 small irrigation projects completed in 14 Badakhshan districts

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Seventeen irrigation projects have been implemented in 14 districts of northeastern Badakhshan province at a cost of 11 million afs and was put into operation on Wednesday, an official said on Wednesday

Agriculture Director Mawlavi Amanullah Hassan These projects include the construction and repair of canals, superbasing and pipe schemes, which have been implemented by the Aga Khan Foundation at a cost of 11 million Afghanis to solve irrigation challenges and improve agricultural conditions in different areas of the province.

He added that these projects, as part of previous activities of the Aga Khan Development Foundation, were implemented in 14 districts, including Khash, Baharak, Warduj, Yamgan, Kiran and Manjan, Shuhada, Faizabad, Ishkashim, Wakhan, Zibak, Shoghnan, Jaram, Khawan and Shahr-e-Bozorg, and were put into operation today, in coordination with the General Irrigation Management of the Natural Resources Department of this department.

Mawlavi Hassan said the implementation of these projects has largely solved the irrigation challenges on 2,787 hectares of agricultural land in these districts and at the same time has provided short-term employment opportunities for local residents.

On the other hand, residents of these districts of Badakhshan, while welcoming the efforts of the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, and called for more attention in the implementation of basic and development projects in this province.

Sayed Abdul Hai, general director of the Guram district development council, said the lack of sufficient agricultural water in this district, which has the most agricultural land, created challenges and conflicts during the growing season.

He added that thousands of families of poor farmers awere ready to use their personal budget to build a canal to irrigate the plains of Sarhod, Ferghamanj, Falak and the center of this district from the Kokcha River, but the lack of management and government intervention has made this plan ineffective.

He called for the construction of a canal from the Kokcheh Sea to help farmers make better use of their agricultural lands and achieve self-sufficiency in agriculture

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