KABUL, Afghanistan – Civil affairs and engineer service members from the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team evaluated the feasibility of an irrigation project proposal in Nangaresh village Dec. 2 to determine the possibility of irrigating 1,200 acres of farmland in the Wadawu valley.
Waikil Sakhi, Nurgaram District elder, said he supports the proposal.
“If we are able to bring water to these fields, we will be able to feed 7,000 people,” said Sakhi. “These fields are owned by all the people of the Wadawu Valley. We already have seed and fertilizer from the government, but we were not able to plant this year because of lack of moisture.”
The proposed project includes a micro-hydro power plant that would power the district agriculture system and the pumps required to water the fields. The project also has the potential to provide clean water to more than 4,000 residents of Nangaresh village.
“If we bring water to the fields, the people will be able to greatly increase production,” agreed U.S. Army Spc. Richard Bogue, the reconstruction team’s agriculture expert. “But they will have to be able to maintain it.”
A non-government organization is considering the proposed project estimated at $1.5 million.