Open AccessSustainable Irrigation: Karez System in Afghanistan
Author(s) -
Abdullah Azami,
Jay Sagin,
Sayed Hashmat Sadat,
Hejratullah Hejran
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
central asian journal of water research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2522-9060
DOI - 10.29258/cajwr/2020-r1.v6-2/1-18.eng
Subject(s) - irrigation , groundwater , sustainability , water resource management , environmental science , irrigation statistics , agriculture , surface water , farm water , water supply , water conservation , environmental engineering , engineering , geography , ecology , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , biology
In Afghanistan, water is mostly used for agricultural purposes. The water supply chain requires updating to ensure its sustainability. Different irrigation methods – such as surface water based irrigation (via canals), groundwater based irrigation, and the Karez irrigation system – are applied across the country. Considering the compatibility of the Karez system with the environment, it can be deemed the most effective irrigation scheme, as it allows collecting a significant amount of groundwater and conveying it to land surface via sub-horizontal tunnels using gravity. This article analyzes Afghanistan’s Karez irrigation systems currently feeding water to over 170,000 ha of farmland with a potential to expand and become a component of sustainable water supply chain.