Landakhil in Nangarhar benefits from new waterworks
In the beautiful village of Landakhil, located in the Pachir Agam district of Nangarhar province, a transformative initiative unfolded between April 4, 2023, and December 4, 2023, courtesy of the generous support from the World Bank and implemented by FAO-Afghanistan. This rural haven, with its rich cultural tapestry, witnessed a remarkable change through a comprehensive intervention aimed at improving persistent challenges faced by its resilient community.
The heartbeat of this project lay in the hands of 12,000 beneficiaries, individuals whose lives were intricately tied to the success of an effort seeking to address the longstanding issues of water scarcity, flood management, lack of irrigation structures and a poor irrigation system.
The landscape of Landakhil echoed with the hum of stone masonry for the construction of six gabion protection walls took shape, and for the rehabilitation of an irrigation canal of 479 meters length. Every year, during the flood season, the locally constructed intake for Landakhil irrigation canal was destroyed; under this project the side intake has been rehabilitated fundamentally, including the building of two culverts along the canal. Moreover, six social structures mainly used by women were built, fortifying the community against the adversities that once plagued its existence.
The intervention's primary goal was to improve current irrigation systems, shielding both the canal and the adjacent land from the destructive force of floods. The success of this scheme materialized not only in the tangible structures but also in the intangible transformation of lives.
Among the challenges faced during the project implementation, a conflict within the community tested the resilience of Landakhil's residents. Construction work on the canal was slated to begin during the planting season, but this is when water is most necessary; so farmers blocked the project from proceeding. After mediation by community leaders, the construction company came up with a solution to provide water to farmers’ fields from another source, allowing them to start the work.
The intervention served as a trigger for socioeconomic development, providing 150 jobs to male residents during eight months, while 30 female members gained access to specialized training in gabion weaving. This combined effect promoted gender inclusion and a sense of collective empowerment in addition to revitalizing the village's infrastructure. Furthermore, this initiative extended short-term cash for work opportunities to a total of 8137 individuals, including both skilled and unskilled workers. Since rural communities often lack cash, this income was very useful to revivify the local economy, allowing day laborers to provide food or other necessities for their families.
In reflecting on the success of the rehabilitation project, Mr. Ashiqullah, a respected resident of Landakhil, shared his sentiments, "The project not only brought physical changes but instilled a renewed sense of hope within our community. It was a collective effort that transcended the mere construction of walls and culverts; it revitalized our spirit and brought prosperity to our doorsteps."
Overall, in eastern region, 14.85 km canal was rehabilitated, 5.86 km riverbank protected, and a total of 769,393 trenches were excavated. Since each trench has 0.75 cubic meters capacity, potentially more than 500 000 cubic meters of water could be stored during each rainfall, replenishing ground water levels. Additionally, 4871 dry stone minor check dams and 64 gabion check dams were built, each capable of storing up to 50 cubic meters of water. The cleaning of a 38-kilometer drainage system, meanwhile, helped reduce the salinity of agricultural land, allowing farmers to diversify their crop cultivation. Furthermore, 212 social structures, primarily utilized by women for the washing of clothes and other household-related tasks, were built according to the communities’ desires. The short-term job opportunities provided by this project benefited 33 431 males and 4 711 females in different parts of eastern region.