Water for Horticultural Crop Production in Afghanistan

Improved agricultural productivity is important for achieving and maintaining social stability and sustainable economic development in Afghanistan.   Water is the most important factor that limits agricultural expansion in Afghanistan and is especially crucial for optimizing the productivity of horticultural crops.  Afghan farmers suffer from water shortages because of limited fresh water resources and the inappropriate use of watersheds, aquifers, river basins, and irrigation methods.  Most of the fresh water resources originate from melting snow pack and glaciers in the Hindu Kush Mountains; and, canal systems that provide irrigation for horticultural crop production depend on this fresh source of water via various major rivers.  In years with little snowfall, this often results in drought conditions the following summer.  Drought conditions are further exacerbated by inefficient use of available water and are often devastating for fruit and vegetable production in Afghanistan.  Although Afghanistan has an advantage for producing several high-value horticulture crops, the potential for increased supply and international marketing cannot be realized unless capacity is improved through better field production and management methods which unfortunately directly relates to the availability of fresh water resources through irrigation.  Until a more broadly functional means of distributing water becomes available, on-farm practices, especially improved water management, represent the best opportunity to improve farmer livelihoods and develop a sound agriculture-based economy.