Contacts:
In Kabul: Abdul Raouf Zia
(93) 700 280800
Azia@worldbank.org
In Washington: Erik Nora
(202) 458 4735
enora@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, May 28, 2009 ─ The World Bank today approved an additional grant of US$33.5 million to help restore irrigated agricultural production in Afghanistan’s rural communities through improved and reliable water supply to irrigation schemes. The additional grant will support the continuation of Afghanistan’s Emergency Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (EIRP), which is part of the government’s broader effort to rehabilitate and restore irrigation infrastructure. In 2003, the World Bank financed EIRP through a US$40 million credit serving all major river basins of Afghanistan, which have classified into six regions: Kabul, Jalalabad, Kandahar, Herat, Kunduz and Mazar-e-Sharif. So far two additional grants totaling US$53 million have been provided to support the continuation of the project. Since its inception, the EIRP has restored irrigation supplies to more than 100,000 hectares of agricultural land that were earlier not receiving irrigation supplies because of the dilapidated condition of the irrigation infrastructure. In addition, over 70 hydrological stations have been installed to date in various river basins. These stations are crucial for improved management, future planning and development of the country’s water resources as well as for better forecasting and mitigating floods and droughts. The project has also improved capacity within the Ministry of Energy and Water through on-the-job training, particularly in the areas of identifying, preparing, designing and implementing irrigation rehabilitation schemes. “Afghanistan’s agriculture sector has severely suffered over the past several decades due to political upheavals, damaging floods and drought, and neglected maintenance of the irrigation infrastructure,” said Usman Qamar, Senior Rural Development Specialist and Project Team Leader. “Despite the substantial achievements to date, the country’s needs for irrigation rehabilitation are large with over a million hectares of irrigated area yet to be rehabilitated. Continued support to rehabilitation of traditional irrigation schemes is a key element for the revival of agriculture and improving food security in the country.” Afghanistan’s harsh terrain and arid climate make it an unforgiving place for agriculture. Only 12 percent of the land is arable and 85 percent of that land requires irrigation. About 60 to 70 percent of the underground small canals that tap subsurface water (Kareze) are not in use, and most of the river diversion structures feeding the irrigation canals are not functional or of temporary nature. In addition, traditional and large canal networks are damaged and partly or wholly dysfunctional. Consequently, irrigation schemes now operate at about 25 percent efficiency, compared to the norm of 40 to 60 percent. Agriculture productivity remains low, variable and vulnerable to erratic irrigation supplies. The additional financing will support about 85 additional medium and 8 large rehabilitation schemes. It will also support further expansion of the hydro-meteorological facilities, including thirty cableways stations for river flow measurement and six silt measurement laboratories. Note to Editors:
The IDA credit of US$40 million for the Emergency Irrigation Rehabilitation Project carries no interest, a 0.75 percent service charge, and has a 40-year maturity, with a 10-year grace period. For more information on the Bank’s work in Afghanistan, please visit:
http://www.worldbank.org.af For more project information, please visit:
Additional Financing for Emergency Irrigation Rehabilitation Project |
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