Sunday June 14, 2015
Jalalabad (BNA) The local authorities of the Agricultural and Livestock department of the Balkh province has informed that the three irrigation canals were put into exploitation for public with World Bank funding of $16.5m.
These canals that have been constructed in Dasht-e-Khwajah, Joy Maktab and Joy Shaikh Hassan areas and will be utilized by 590 families who have agricultural fields and approximately 250 acres of the agricultural fields will be watering through the canals. Kateb shams, director of the Agriculture and Livestock’s department of Balkh, who was in Balkh district for the inauguration of the canals, stated that with the construction of these three water supplying canals in the rural areas, wasting of 10 percent of agricultural waters avoided in these rural areas. The Balkh province’s agricultural director, has described, that from the total of 273 acres of the watering fields, 100 to 105 acres of which are cultivated. Due to the lack of consideration, the remaining is kept without cultivations. Shams further said that the mechanism adopted for the agricultural fields to prevent from wastes of water and to be utilized efficiently. Some of the farmers in the Samarqandian rural areas of the Balkh province, have expressed their gratitude towards the establishing of such water supplying canals, considering the canals a crucial step for the expansion of the agricultural products.
Similarly, the farmers have emphasized that in the past the agricultural products due to the lack of water supplying canals, have been reduced in an low level, but fortunately by the establishment of these canals the agricultural products have risen to a satisfactory level, because the growing of agricultural products are pertained to the sufficient waters. Some other farmers believe when there is no sufficient waters existed in the rural areas, the establishing of the canals cannot have positive impacts on the development of the agricultural affairs. So it is better to dig some wells, so that to have sufficient water for the agricultural fields. Some analysts told The Kabul Time correspondent, complaining that the corruptions and misusing of the investments and the aided moneys of the United Nation’s offices, did not have fundamental influences on the improvement of the existing situation, because their projects that are founded through the Unite Nation’s office, have been ruined. The analysts have further said, the projects are built by the National Unity Government and other non-governmental organizations (NGO) should be inaugurated by the authorities to be exploited and utilized efficiently. It is said that the creating of the water supplying canals, have constructive role on the boosting of the agricultural products, the farmer’s gardening facilities, and self-sufficiency regarding the gardening process. The National Unity Government, especially the Ministry of water and energy has always explained that the ministry has taken practical measures for the constructing of the water supplying , but as it is seemed they did not fulfill any practical actions in connection with exploiting and using of these water supplying canals, expressing that the technical difficulties have caused some obstacles in the working-process, such as the Salma Dam, which is located in Herat province, is facing with technical problem. Shukria Khoistani
