In this Q&A, we speak with James Handina, the Regional Area Manager of UNDP in the Southern region of Afghanistan. A major concern for James and his team is how to tackle the severe water crisis affecting Kandahar, Helmand, Nimroz, Uruzgan and Zabul provinces. Southern Afghanistan faces increasingly severe water shortages due to prolonged drought, over-reliance on depleting groundwater, and inadequate infrastructure. Traditional water sources like rivers and springs have diminished, jeopardizing agriculture and food security. Unregulated groundwater extraction has led to rapidly falling water tables, while neglected but sustainable systems like the karezes remain abandoned. Poor water quality, rising costs, and health challenges are exacerbating economic strain and displacement in communities. Here, we delve into the strategies and interventions that UNDP is implementing to tackle these interlocked issues. 

Q: What are the main water-related challenges faced by communities in Southern region of Afghanistan?

A: The primary challenge is the scarcity of water, which affects both domestic use and agricultural activities. Many traditional water sources, such as karez systems, have dried up due to years of neglect and lack of maintenance. This has forced communities to travel long distances to fetch water, impacting their daily lives and productivity, particularly for women, who spend hours fetching water.

Q: How is UNDP addressing these water challenges?

A: UNDP has initiated several solutions to improve water access, availability and utilisation. We are promoting surface water harvesting through the construction of check dams, which serve multiple purposes: they harvest water for irrigation and livestock, and act as flood protection walls for downstream communities. These dams help recharge underground water tables, which in turn revitalizes dried-up karez systems. Additionally, we are rehabilitating existing karez systems and cleaning the channels to ensure efficient water flow and maximum benefits from the water table replenishment.

Q: Could you explain what karezes are?

A: Karezes are a wonder of traditional heritage and engineering. These ancient underground water channels are used for irrigation in arid regions of Afghanistan, a very mountainous country. They are built by digging tunnels at a gentle slope into the ground, allowing water from the mountains deep underground to flow up to the surface kilometers away. Being underground reduces water evaporation and contamination. This system has provided water for farming and drinking in areas where surface water is scarce for centuries, but now they are in a very precarious situation or totally abandoned.

Q: Can you explain the process of constructing check dams and how they are related to karez rehabilitation?

A: The construction of check dams involves several steps. First, we identify suitable sites in collaboration with the community. Our team of civil engineers then designs the dams, ensuring they meet structural integrity standards. During construction, we conduct rigorous monitoring and quality tests to prevent breaches that could cause downstream hazards. The dams are built using either stone masonary or compacted earth, depending on the specific requirements of the site after a detailed topographic survey. For example, a check dam in Kandahar City's Miankoh area, built after floods damaged homes and claimed 20 lives, has revitalized aquifers, increasing the water table and generated new community assets for the community. But interestingly, check dams also feed the karezes. For example, the Bayanzai checkdam in Kandahar province will increase the water table for 18 karezes downstream.

Q: What benefits have check dams brought to the communities?

A: The benefits are multifaceted. Firstly, they provide a reliable source of water for both livestock and irrigation, which is crucial for agriculture. Secondly, they help protect communities from floods by acting as barriers to flash floods. Lastly, the recharged underground water supports the revival of karez systems, which are essential for sustainable water management in the region. Interestingly, karezes, being underground systems, are rich in minerals. Farmers from Baba Kariz in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province have told me that their pomegranates and grapes, famous around the country, are much more nutritious and tasteful when irrigated by karez water. In Tanasa, Zabul province, a farmer told us that participating in a cash-for-work program to build a check dam for two months allowed him to buy essential food for his family. Better yet, if the check dam he helped build provides enough water this season, his grape harvest could increase dramatically.

Q: How do these water projects impact women in the communities?

A: These projects significantly reduce the labor burden on women, who traditionally travel long distances to fetch water. With water sources now closer to their homes, women have more time for other productive activities and for themselves. Additionally, the availability of water has improved protection and reduced the risk of gender-based violence, as women no longer need to travel far from their communities. Of course, the mobility of women in Afghanistan, particularly in this part of the country, is very limited, so we need to find any entry point possible to improve their lives and reduce their burden.

Q: How do communities participate in the management and sustainability of these projects?

A: We establish community committees during the construction phase, which include local leaders and supervisors. These committees are responsible for beneficiary selection and marking attendance including certifying payments to cash-for work workers. Rather than hiring external contractors, we use “cash-for-work” schemes so that community workers contribute to the construction of the water infrastructure, learn new skills, and are paid for doing so. After the project is completed, we hand over management of the asset to the community committees, who work in consultation with the local Shura, ensuring a strong sense of  ownership and responsibility for maintaining the infrastructure. This approach fosters sustainability and community engagement.

Q: How does UNDP collaborate with other UN agencies like UNICEF in these water projects?

A: UNDP and UNICEF have complementary roles. While UNDP focuses on surface water harvesting and renewable energy infrastructure, UNICEF focuses more on domestic water provision. We also collaborate on solarizing water systems to ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply, especially in areas with limited electricity.

Q: Can you share any success stories from these interventions?

A: One notable success is the revival of agricultural activities in areas where communities had previously abandoned their lands due to water scarcity. For example, in Qalat district of Zabul province, a check dam restored karezes which had dried out over the past 10 years. Previously displaced communities returned, the water table in the downstream kariz rose, and farmers started to reactivate the fig orchards and grapevines. In another village in Spinboldak district, Kandahar province, an earthen check dam we built through cash for work will allow farmer families to have their first harvest in four years. I hope international support expands and allows more communities to return to their places of origin with access to water, energy, and income opportunities. Water is life, isn’t it?