Emphasis on Afghanistan’s Water Management System

A 10-day training program on climate change and water resource is organized in Kabul by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Representatives from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Maldives are attending the program.

Dr. Daim Kakar, Head of Afghanistan Natural Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), called for a water management system that utilizes the abundant water resources of Afghanistan for irrigation, drinking and power generation.

Officials of the Ministry of Water and Energy said Afghanistan has 57mn cubic meters of surface water and 18bn meters of ground water, but the country is only utilizing 31% of its water, while the rest flows into neighboring countries.

Less than about 50% of Afghanistan’s population has access to safe drinking water and only 37% use improved sanitation facilities.

As a result of the wars and turmoil in Afghanistan, water supply infrastructure has been neglected or destroyed.