Irrigation Canal of 12 km cleaned from Amu Darya river to Sultuq Khurd.
The cleaning of the canal involved nearly 75 residents of surrounding villages, who were employed on a cash-for-work basis and/or paid in cash by LSO. As result of this, 75 families have directly benefited from this project.
Sultuq-Khurd Irrigation Canal-Jawzjan province
Sultuq Khurd-irrigation canal that flow from Amu Darya (Sari Pul province) to Jawzjan province blocked by seasonal flood for 12 km canal within Jawzjan province (GPS coordinate: 36°46’38.10″N 65°38’33.00″E). The canal has a 10 thousand M3 flow capacity in a day. The farmers close to Amu Darya had access to irrigation water during the cultivation season and they were taking the water turn by force while farmlands in Sultuq Khurd and Wasat dried up due to blockage of the canal. Because of this, farmers went into a bad relationship in three mentioned villages that escalated into physical clash several times. Sultuq Khurd insisted that Sultuq Bala should clean the first 4 km while the village promised cleaning of the rest 8 km themselves.
Given this situation and in order to settle the dispute, LSO selected canal cleaning out of five small projects listed in consultation with 18 communities in Khawaja Da Ko district. The canal-cleaning project, which draws water from 12 km distance from the Amu Darya, flowing to Khawaja Da Ko district, has been completed through a cash for work intervention.
The farmers have lost agricultural harvest as of their only livelihood source in Sultuq Khurd because of blockage of this canal during the first cultivation season, as there was no water flow through the irrigation canal during the 1st quarter of the year.
“Irrigation canal flow to Khawaja Da Kuh from Amu Darya is an important source of water for agriculture and farmland”, said Mohammad Saleem from Sultuq Khurd.
With UNDP’s support, LSO has made it possible to rehabilitate this 12 km of irrigation canal of Sultuq Khurd in Khawaja Da Ko district; as result, farmers and local community elders use water for irrigation of a farm-land of 100 acres/gerib.
The rehabilitation of irrigation canal provides irrigation water for 1200 families who now cultivate vegetables and fruits. The irrigation canal has a capacity to irrigate 30 hectares of farmland simultaneously.
The canal project irrigate 100 acres of farmland in Khawaja Da Ko District. This project (i.e. canal cleaning) benefited 1200 families in three CDCs (i.e. Sultuq Kalan, Wasat and Khurd villages of the district. As result of this, improved people’s lives depending on 100 % farming in this district.
Additionally, 75 people who were employed in the canal cleaning on a cash-for-work basis and/or paid in cash by LSO. As result of this, 75 families have benefited from this project.
The irrigation canal draws water from 12 km distance from the Amu Darya, have made the work of farmers easy and improved livelihood solely depending on agriculture and livestock. The farmers have access to water equally in three villages and they do not have conflict together anymore.
“I have cultivated enough farm-land after the water arrival to village, so that I can have enough food for my family in up-coming winter”, said Mohammad Saleem from Sultuq Khurd .
Implementation of canal cleaning project has been proven effective practices in community recovery and development, replication and up scaling of this project will further contribute towards empowerment of communities to promote peace, social cohesion and organization in the long-term.
Through mediation of LSO, the three CDCs came into agreement for the cleaning of the canal, which draws water from 12 km distance from the Amu River, flowing to Sultuq Khurd in Khawaja Da Ko district.