Community Driven Irrigation Management

About the Project

Afghanistan is considered one of the most fragile countries in the world, with nearly 55% of its 32.2 million people living below the national poverty line. As of 2019, more than 41% of children under the age of five years are stunted, 14% are wasted, and 25% are severely or moderately underweight. Additionally, more than 2.6 million people have been internally displaced and more than 4 million people live in neighboring countries as refugees. Conflict- and climate-related disasters worsen the country’s fragility and extreme poverty and deprivation. To improve food security and resilience among some of the poorest households in select districts of rural Afghanistan, the project promotes and enhances sustainable and resilient livelihoods and nutrition among the most food-insecure and vulnerable households by facilitating improved and sustainable water management in selected micro-watersheds through rehabilitated and improved efficacy of traditional water management systems, such as Kareez water supply systems; community flood management; and on-farm water saving.

GAFSP will invest $15 million to support efforts to rehabilitate and improve the efficacy of traditional water management systems and enhance sustainable and resilient livelihoods and nutrition among the most food insecure.