Panj-Amu River Basin Sector Project

Introduction:

The Panj-Amu River Basin Sector Project Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Asian Development Bank in 2016, with a total budget of US $ 76 million, with an allocated budget of USD 22.4 Million to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock. 

Panj-Amu River Basin Sector Project is an irrigation project implemented by Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) with allocated budget of $22.4 million. It has mix of about 74,500 hectares of irrigated land plus a range of agriculture related facilities located in the north-east in the Provinces of Badkhsahn, Takhar, Kunduz, Baghlan and Bamyan. The project is designed to finance rehabilitation and upgrading (R&U) of the existing irrigation system, and development of new irrigation and water resources infrastructure.

The project will benefit approximately 55,000 farming households (over 400,000 people), additional beneficiaries will include women in the project areas who will benefit from domestic water access points built along canals to aid access for water fetching and laundry.

Impact:

The impact of the project is per-capita income increased and poverty among rural and postural communities deduced.

Outcome:

The project outcome is agricultural productivity in the Panj-Amu River Basin increased.

Main Objectives of P-ARBSP:

• Rehabilitating secondary and tertiary canals of 21 main canals irrigation schemes
• Implementation of 5 community contracts in the field of on farm water management (OFWM)
• Establishing and strengthening the capacity of approximately 106 irrigation associations (IAs) to operate and manage irrigation infrastructure in these secondary schemes
• Improving on-farm water management and agronomic techniques (such as land levelling, bed and furrow irrigation, and intercropping) with approximately 6,300 farmers having improved knowledge in 21 demonstration plots with the above stated activities.
• Preparing a community-based natural resources management technical manual and guidebook.
• Training of 40 departments of agriculture, irrigation, and livestock (DAILs) staff as master trainers who will conduct training of communities,
• Identifying approximately 21 watershed and/or rangeland sites for restoration and protection,
• Creating catchment management associations (CMAs) for these sites, and
• Preparing and implementing natural resource management plans for these sites. These activities will help restore 10,500 hectares of forestry and/or rangeland in the vicinity of 21 prioritized schemes and protect irrigation structures from flash floods and sedimentation.
   

P_ARBS Project Achievements for the year 1396

P-ARBS Project Activity Plan for the year 1397:

1. Survey of secondary and tertiary canals related to 17 main Canlas
2. Contract Award/procurement process of 5 NCB packages of 21 main canals
3. 30 % Implementation of three NCBs packages.
4. Survey and design of 5 communality contracts in the field of OFWM, 3 community contracts award and their 30% implementation.
5. Survey of 24 watersheds and design of all 26 watersheds.
6.  Contract award of 10 watersheds and 30% of their implementation.