When Afghan communities set their own development priorities, stability and trust are likely to follow. USAID works with village elders to design development projects that meet the needs of the community, and engages community members in the implementation process. Recently, in cooperation with the Farah Governor’s office, the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, and the Lash Juwayn Community Development Council, USAID rehabilitated the Lash Wa Juwayn Canal in Farah. Local laborers received a daily wage and the necessary tools to rehabilitate 20 kilometers of the canal and rebuild a 720-meter retaining wall.
The villagers celebrated the first flow of water in the canal, which had been full of silt and unusable for 30 years. Thanks to improved irrigation provided by the canal, more than 13,000 hectares will be available for farming – an area of approximately 60 square miles. Nearly 7,100 families (approximately 40,000 individuals) will benefit from the improved irrigation and increased food production and farming income. Upon completion of the project, members of the Lash Wa Juwayn District Community Development Council presented a certificate of appreciation to USAID and the Alternative Development Project – Southwest for its support of the canal rehabilitation.