2023.08.30
On August 30, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a grant agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to provide grant aid of up to 1,328 million yen for the Project for Enhancing Agriculture Production through Community-led Irrigation.
Despite two years having passed since the political change in August 2021, Afghanistan remains in the midst of a serious humanitarian crisis. This is a result of the country's economic deterioration as well as the effects of natural disasters such as drought, floods, and earthquakes. Thus, immediate assistance is essential for those in need.
Food shortages are particularly critical, with approximately 24 million people, or 60% of the population, at risk of malnutrition, so improving food production is currently a major issue in Afghanistan. Furthermore, agriculture, which employs more than 60% of the working population, requires assistance because it directly affects people's livelihoods.
Additionally, with rainfall limited in the country, the primary way of watering farmland is irrigation using snowmelt and river water rather than rainwater, the supply of which is unstable. However, due to drought as well as the lack of both irrigation facilities and their sufficient maintenance and management, the necessary water for farmland is inadequately distributed, hindering agricultural production.
A local NGO, the PMS (Note 1), led by the late Dr. Tetsu Nakamura, began irrigation development in the Kunar River basin in eastern Afghanistan in 2003, improving the livelihoods of approximately 650,000 people as of 2019 and restoring approximately 23,800 ha of cultivated land as of 2023. Dr. Nakamura developed the "PMS method" (Note 1), which emphasizes local community ownership throughout the entire irrigation process, from planning, design, and construction of irrigation facilities to maintenance and management, to ensure that the facilities are used by the people of the beneficiary communities long after they are completed.
Note 1: The term "PMS" refers to the Peshawar Association of Afghanistan's Peace (Japan) Medical Service. The "PMS method" is a simple and practical irrigation method that utilizes locally available materials and equipment. It was developed by integrating traditional Afghan and Japanese civil engineering techniques through a process of trial and error.
JICA will implement this project to disseminate the PMS method developed by Dr. Nakamura within the Kunar River basin, in collaboration with the FAO, Peshawar-kai, and the PMS. This project aims to improve the capacity to supply water via irrigation in areas with severe food shortages. It will do so by rehabilitating irrigation infrastructure using the PMS method and providing training on sustainable facility use, ultimately contributing to increased agricultural production. This project will thereby also contribute to the achievement of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Goals 2 (Zero hunger), 6 (Clean water and sanitation), and 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions).
In addition, JICA published the “PMS Method Irrigation Project Guidelines” in 2021 under editorial supervision by the PMS—having held discussions with Dr. Nakamura, Peshawar-kai, and Afghan officials since 2018—to disseminate the technology and knowledge associated with the PMS method. The guidelines, which were released in four languages—Japanese, English, Dari, and Pashto—have systematically organized the knowledge, experience, and philosophy of PMS irrigation projects, as well as flood control and water utilization technologies. The guidelines will be widely used throughout the planning, design, construction, and training involved in this project.
Note 2: Please refer to the "PMS Method Irrigation Project Guidelines" on the following website.
Signing ceremony
Details for the project are provided below.
| Country | The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |
|---|---|
| Project title | The Project for Enhancing Agriculture Production through Community-led Irrigation |
| Planned implementation period | 48 months |
| Executing agency | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) |
| Target region | Kunar Province |
| specific project details(provisional) | 1. Facility improvements Rehabilitation of irrigation facilities 2. Consulting services Training of trainers and farmers |
Sns share!
scroll