4 JUNE 2011

 

Safi Kot Village in Qalai Zal District is located in volatile Kunduz Province. The district has turned into a focal point for insurgent activities. Because of the government’s limited outreach to the district, community grievances have remained unaddressed. Aqueducts prevent roads from washing out during heavy rains and channel water into agricultural fields. However, the insurgent situation has led to the destruction of infrastructure leaving transportation and irrigation systems in disrepair.

 

District residents requested funding from USAID to rehabilitate three existing aqueducts to improve local transportation links to the district center and irrigation water flow into agricultural lands. With the funding, the community successfully rehabilitated the aqueducts in cooperation with the Provincial Department of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.

 

The aqueducts have raised the profile and reach of the local authorities, brought communities closer to the services provided by the government, and improved their agricultural products. The aqueducts have also enabled Afghanistan National Security Forces and International Security Assistance Forces in the district to conduct security patrols and for community residents to easily travel in all seasons.

 

“There was no proper infrastructure for water to flow into the agricultural lands. Instead, the water flowed onto roads leaving the lands in disrepair and roads destroyed and unusable, said Abdul Qadir, a farmer in Safi Kot. “Thanks to the generous support of USAID, this project has enabled farmers to get a better harvest with the aqueducts leading water to agricultural lands properly. We are now easily connected with roads leading to the rest of the village and to our district center.”