CDIS-2

Training on Operation and Maintenance of Irrigation Canals

 

Kabul, 16 October 2017 – The Capacity Development for Irrigation Directorate Project (CDIS Output 2) FAO project successfully conducted training on “Operation and Maintenance of Irrigation Canals” for the farmers of Shahidullah Irrigation Scheme which is one of the pilot schemes under the project. 25 farmers, mainly the members of the Irrigation Associations (IA) from the schemes participated in the training.

The main objective of the training was to provide an opportunity to the farmers and IA members of Shahidullah Irrigation Scheme to understand the basic techniques of operation and maintenance of irrigation canals. The selected topics from the manual developed by CDIS project on “Operation and Maintenance of Irrigation Systems” was explained in detail to the farmers. The participants were also taken to the Shahidullah Canal and useful tips were provided to them on different aspects of operation and maintenance of irrigation canals. This training is one of the series of trainings proposed for capacity development of IAs in Afghanistan. Hard copies of the O&M manual were also distributed to the participants for their future reference.

The Government of Afghanistan has been promoting the establishment and strengthening of IAs since many years using its own resources and through the financial assistance of donor projects. The main purpose of establishing IAs is to manage, operate and maintain an irrigation schemes efficiently with the following objectives:

·         To operate the irrigation schemes in an efficient manner ensuring equitable water allocation at head, middle and tail sections of the canal while considering the seasonal and supply variation of water in the canal.

·         To maintain the irrigation scheme properly after handover to IA by timely repairing the irrigation infrastructures along the course of the canal.

From this, it is quite evident skills and knowledge gaps in management, operation and maintenance results in ineffective performance of an irrigation schemes. Currently, most of the IAs established in Afghanistan are unable to effectively manage, operate and maintain irrigation schemes due to insufficient and poor knowledge and are not equipped with modern tools to carry out these activities. Hence, O&M trainings for farmers such as this one conducted by CDIS for Shahidullah Irrigation Scheme needs to be given continuity and expanded to other schemes.