4 JUNE 2011 | DEH SABZ DISTRICT, AFGHANISTAN

 

Deh Sabz District, located northeast of Kabul and bordering the relatively insecure Surobi District, is a priority stabilization district for USAID. The Kabul-Jalalabad Highway, leading to insecure provinces bordering Pakistan, runs through this district, adding to its strategic importance.

 

Lack of irrigation water had affected the agricultural lands of community residents. Due to a lack of financial resources in the Provincial Line Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, this priority community need had remained unaddressed. In an effort to address this need and provide an opportunity for joint community-government collaboration, USAID funded the construction of reservoirs in Jeeran and Seh Qala Villages of Deh Sabz District.

 

The community held a closing ceremony on May 8, 2011, to celebrate the successful completion of the project. Malik Ajab Khan, head of the community development council, stated, “The project has given residents hope for the future as water reservoirs will ensure enough water will flow to agricultural fields. I am grateful to USAID for providing financial support to the project and am thankful for the active support of the local government during the implementation of the project.”

 

The project is part of USAID’s continued efforts to encourage local government engagement of communities in unstable areas. The project addressed a priority community need of an at-risk population through integrated community development activities.