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Afghan village - Source: Reuters
Afghanistan needs billions of dollars for dams and irrigation to
feed and provide power for its growing population after decades of
war, with future water supply a major security challenge, Afghan
and foreign officials say.
Most of Afghanistan's precious water is allowed to flow out to its
neighbours, a situation which must be changed quickly if the
country is to sustain itself, deputy Water and Energy Minister
Shujauddin Ziayee said recently.
"In 30 years, the size of our population will double, so will our
water, food and electricity needs. The same is true with our
neighbours," he said.
Rugged and landlocked Afghanistan has had historical disputes with
its central and south Asian neighbours over the flow of water from
mountain rivers which irrigate most of its crops.
It loses about two-thirds of its water from rain and snow
annually.
For centuries, because of its geographical location, most of the
water from Afghanistan's main river basins has poured north to
central Asia, east to Pakistan or west to Iran.
Pakistan and Iran have both spent billions in recent decades
building dams and reservoirs to store water for consumption and
generating power.
Afghanistan been unable to make any effort at all, as three
decades of war have ruined its water infrastructure.
"In total, the amount of rain and snowfall in Afghanistan makes 57
billion cubic metres of water annually. Unfortunately, between 30
to 35 percent of this water can be used in Afghanistan and the rest
ends up in foreign countries," Ziayee said.
The loss of water means only 25% of Afghanistan's estimated 28
million people have access to clean water.
Afghanistan produces just one percent of the 23,000 megawatts of
hydroelectricity it needs, and has less water than needed for
growing wheat and other food commodities.
Complex security challenge
Only 1.5 million hectares of agricultural land were irrigated in
2002 and an additional 300,000 hectares rehabilitated since - less
than half the area irrigated in 1979, when the war began - said the
East West Institute think tank in a report last year.
"The almost total absence of bilateral or regional cooperation on
water between Afghanistan and its neighbours is a serious threat to
sustainable development and security in the region," the report
said.
"The ever-increasing demand for water, the unpredictable
availability of water and the inefficient management of water
resources combine to form a complex but solvable challenge to
regional security and development," it said.
Since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001, Afghanistan has been
carrying out surveys on how and where to build dams both for its
growing energy needs and water management.
The surveys have taken years and are almost over, but the
cash-strapped country needs nearly $15 billion for its ambitious
water projects, Ziayee said.
The international community, which has poured in billions of
dollars since the Taliban's fall, has so far done little to provide
funds for such schemes.
This may be because building dams takes years and donors are
reluctant to fund long-term projects.
One exception is India, which has had historical ties with many
Afghan governments but has tense relations with nuclear-armed rival
and neighbour Pakistan.
New Delhi has been spending some $212 million to build a dam in
Afghanistan.
The Salma dam project, which was planned in the 1970s, has been
under way for four years.
It is located in the Cheshti Sharif district of Herat province,
which borders Iran.
Poor security and attacks by suspected militants have at times
slowed construction.
This year, Kabul is planning to start building four small dams
elsewhere at a cost of $156 million, Ziayee said.
It hopes to start the first phase of one $638 million dam
project in the east next year, and another in the west, he
said.
"Water is said to be politics and war - and the source of future
wars. We are not the only ones who will see our population grow,"
Ziayee said.
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