Helmand Province - A ProfileHelmand is the largest province of Afghanistan, located in the southwest of the country covering an area of 61829 square Km. Helmand has a population of about 1.4 million, 94% of which is living in the rural area. The province was a part of the Greater Kandahar region (including present day Zabul, Helmand, Kandahar and Nemroz provinces) until it gained the status of a full-fledged province in the 20th century. Currently Helmand province comprises 14 districts with Lashkargah as its provincial headquarters.
Helmand has a barren desert-like landscape with a very arid climate. Desert in the north part of Helmand valley is known as "Dashat-i-Margo" (the desert of death) while the south and eastern part of the valley is known as "Registan" (the land of sand). The Helmand river is the lifeline of the area, supporting civilization for over 6000 years. The river was a main focal point for the establishment of an early civilization in Western Asia. Archeological excavations in Shahre -i- Sokhta (Burned City, Iran) revealed that human societies were living around the river basin in Bronze age urban dwellings by 3200 BC (Mortazavi et al. 2011), even before the Harappa of Indus Valley. The origin of the Helmand River lies in Koh-i-Baba range in Hindukush mountains. The river runs about 1150 Km and passes through Wardak, Bamiyan, Day Kundi, Uruzgan, Helmand and Nimroz provinces of Afghanistan before it empties in the wetlands of Sistan depression at the Afghan/Iran border. Sistan is a large, closed basin located at the tail end of the river Helmand and is considered as one of the driest regions of the world. In Sistan, the river Helmand accumulates in several shallow lakes, also known as "hamoons". The wetlands surrounding these lakes are the largest of its kind in Western Asia. The ecosystem and economy in and around Sistan wetlands are directly affected by the drought and floods in the Helmand River. Because these wetlands receive 80% of water from the river Helmand (Verkerdy and Dost. 2006). The long drought during 1998 to 2005 resulted in complete drying of hamoons on both sides of the Afghan and Iran border, killing fish, wildlife, and cattle. River Helmand drains about 40% of Afghanistan water mostly from the melting snow. The river gradually increases its volume as it flows from its origin to its junction with Arghandab River, the last tributary of Helmand River. Downstream from this point its volume decreases steadily due to irrigation, evaporation, and seepage. It is an important source of irrigation for the areas it passes through as it is the only source of water for the southern part of the Helmand province. Here the river is distributed through a canals network, commonly known as Helmand valley irrigation system. Agricultural fields surrounding the river are the heart of Helmand agriculture. Cereals, cotton, sugar beet, vegetables and various fruits are the major products in addition to livestock production. The construction of Helmand valley irrigation canals was started back in 1910. Some technical and financial assistance to expand the irrigation canal system was provided by Japanese and German governments during 1935-1941. However, development work was halted before its completion due to World War II. In 1950 Afghan government hired an American company to improve and extend the network of canals (Zakhilwal, 2004). Construction of Kajaki dam on the river Helmand was also included in the project to ensure the supply of water to the canal system. During that time the Helmand area became the center of the USA developmental program. The USA government shared the total cost of 136 million dollars of the project by providing 72 million dollars in aid. The approximate 100 meters high and 270 meters long, Kajaki Dam and its 300 miles long, concrete lined irrigation canals were completed in 1955 by the builders of the Hoover dam. The main objective of the project was to develop land for agriculture and to settle thousands of nomads and landless farmers in Helmand province and to produce hydroelectricity. It was one of the world's major desert irrigation projects of that time, which created an extensive farming zone in the Helmand province by bringing a vast area of barren land under cultivation and habitation. The Helmand valley irrigation system has three main canals: Boghra, Shamalan and Darweshan. The project helped more than 5500 landless families to settle on newly irrigated lands. The project also helped native farmers of the area by bringing more land under cultivation and growing double crops instead of one in a year. This significantly increased the farm income in the area. However in the mid-70's, due to over irrigation and poor drainage, water logging and salinization problems appeared in some parts of the newly developed lands. Efforts to rehabilitate and develop an effective drainage system were initiated with the help of the USA, which provided financial and technical support. A major portion (80 million dollars) of $125 million aid provided by the USA to Afghanistan during 1960-1970 was used for the developmental projects in the area. In 1975 the USA renewed its assistance to Afghanistan, mainly focusing on resolving drainage problems in Helmand valley. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) also commissioned two turbines at Kajaki, each with 16.5 MW capacity to generate electricity. Unfortunately, installation of the third turbine and development work on the dam, including raising the dam height and digging an emergency spillway could not be completed due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Anarchy following the Soviet invasion caused severe damage to the Helmand valley irrigation system. Breakdown of water control devices, lack of maintenance, and abandonment of land by the farmers due to war resulted in increased salinity, and a decline in the area under cultivation. However, after the establishment of government in 2002, the USA and other nations made significant investments through the Provincial Reconstruction Initiative to rehabilitate the Helmand valley irrigation system and to improve Kajaki dam’s capacity to produce electricity. The two already installed turbines of Kajaki powerhouse were rehabilitated, while work on the installation of a third turbine was completed in 2016 along with the repair of other associated structures of the dam. Helmand has a strong Pashtun identity. About 92% of the province's population is Pashtun, predominantly of Durrani and Ghilzai tribes (NPS., 2010). The province also has a significant population of Baloch tribes. The Baloch population is more concentrated in the southern part of the province, close to the Baluchistan province of Pakistan. Kuchies, the migratory herders, both of Pashtun and Baluch ethnicity, are also living in the province. Thousands of Kuchi families who had lost their livestock during the multiple droughts after 1950 were settled on the newly irrigated lands, thus encouraging them to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Closure of conventional migratory routes due to war, land mines and lawlessness also forced many Kuchi families to quit their tradition of seasonal migration. However, there are a number of Kuchi families who still adhere to their centuries old livestock production system, moving from place to place in search of pastures for their livestock. Helmand is an improvised province. Power in most areas rests in the hands of feudal khans who own the majority of the land, while most of the farmers are sharecroppers (locally known as Buzgar and Kashtgars). During 1998 the drought, which was not eased until 2005, hit north Helmand very badly because of its dependence on the underground water. Drought lowered the water table, drying the wells and karaiz (an underground water channel originating from a spring), the major sources of water for human consumption and irrigation purposes in the area. For the last several years the Helmand River has been flowing at a record low level, adversely affecting the agriculture in southern Helmand, especially the area which is not under the command of the Helmand valley irrigation system. Poor water management, low rain falls, and environmental degradation are the factors causing low water levels in the Helmand River. Reduced water flow has not only been affecting the dwellers of southern Helmand but also the farmers and dwellers of Sistan wetlands both in Afghanistan and Iran. Due to the declining water flow in the Helmand River, farmers are turning away from water intensive crops and moving to drought resistance crops. Helmand has great potential for agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry, and horticulture. However, these potentials can only be exploited by implementing an effective river water management program to prevent water wastage and seepage. Efficient water management will help make licit agriculture more profitable and will also protect the delicate ecosystem and economy in the lower Helmand basin and will be a critical element in the economic development and stability of the country (Whitney, 2006). The international community also has a responsibility to help improve the economic stability of the country, otherwise prolonged economic hardship and suffering may encourage a new era of lawlessness. References: ADAPT- Agricultural review of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. http://www.fresnostate.edu/jcast/lab/documants/pdf/adapt/HELMAND.pdf Mortazavi, M., Mishmast, U., Good, I. 2011. Bronze age textiles: A preliminary analysis of fragments discovered at Tepe Dasht, Sistan. Iranian Journal of Archeological
Studies. 1:1. www.ijas.usb.ac.ir/pdf_459_30f679de527f806df5006a93b36a7ab7.html NPS 2010. Program for culture and conflict studies - Helmand Province. Province.www.nps.edu/progress/ces/Helmand.html Timkovach 2011. Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Conflict and climate change. ICE case study 261. www1.american.edu.ted/ICE/helmand.html USAID. 2013. DABS inks a contract to install the final turbine at Kajaki. USAID press release. http://www.usaid.gov/afghanistan/news/information/press-release Vekerdy, Z. and Dost, R. 2006. History of environment change in the Sistan Basin. Based on satellite images analysis: 1976 - 2005. Editor, Hassan Partow. UNEP Post Conflict Branch, Geneva. http://postconflict.unep.ch Whitney, J.W., 2006. Geology, water and wind in the lower Helmand Basin, Southern Afghanistan. US Geological Survey Scientific Investigation Report 2006-5182.Reston, VA. https://www.usgs.gov/sir/2006/5182/pdf/SIRO-5182_508/pdf Zakhilwal, O. 2004. The Helmand valley project. Institute for Afghan Studies. Archived article. https://www.institute-for-afghan-studies.org/helmand |
 Children tending sheep and goats
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