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Traditional water management systems in Afghanistan: lessons for the future

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Abstract

As far as the Afghans could remember, water management practices were an integral part of their life. Historically, they successfully have learnt to administer water supplies to deal with environmental stressors and pass water-stressed conditions. Nowadays, traditional technologies of water management are still used in Afghanistan. For instance, Mir Ab controls the water distribution systems and helps local communities to meet their water needs efficiently. Additionally, Mir Ab is a supervisor of the systems, including karezes and channels which have an essential role in managing water supplies. Karez consists of several parallel shafts and an inclined tunnel to bring groundwater to the surface by gravity. Canal network spreads water on the surface and conveys it to agricultural-dominated areas. Well is the most commonly used method in most areas and traditionally has been used for drinking purposes. As yet, far too little attention has been given to the traditional water wisdom and its role in socio-economic improvements in Afghanistan, so the government should pay more attention to them. These systems benefit from advantages, namely supplying required water for ecosystems, decreasing rural displacement, reducing soil erosion, increasing soil fertility, improving crop productions, preparing damaged economic condition, and recharging aquifer systems. Integration of traditional and modern techniques could help Afghanistan to deal with current challenges, including food insecurity, flood hazards, and severe droughts. Conclusively, the proposed suggestions can be used by other countries regionally and globally, in particular those suffering from civil war, to mitigate the impact of water-related hazards and, more importantly, to reach sustainable development goals.

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  1. Peter Cook Centre for CCS Research, School of Geography, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Ali Mahaqi

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Mahaqi, A. Traditional water management systems in Afghanistan: lessons for the future. Arab J Geosci 14, 1465 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07987-3

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