Transparently Planning and Implementing Development Measures

Situation

Most of the Afghan population in the north of the country have only limited access to infrastructure and state services such as roads, bridges, irrigation systems, clean drinking water, flood protection, energy supplies, health care and education.

Objective

With help from the project, the responsible provincial administrations in the six northern provinces are equipped to independently plan and implement development programmes and maintain the associated infrastructure in future. In doing so, they take ownership of the work, operating in a transparent manner and in line with the needs of the population.

Measures & Results

The infrastructure measures include the construction of roads, flood defence walls, irrigation channels, electricity supply grids and schools. For example, work is currently being carried out to build ten schools, with twelve more in the pipeline. Some 80 km of gravel roads have also been built or resurfaced in the provinces Balkh and Badakhshan. Further construction measures are planned. Better transport routes also facilitate access to education and business activities. This stimulates economic growth in the regions and increases the quality of life of the local population, including their future prospects. Taloqan, the capital of Takhar Province, 4.95 km of flood defence walls protect the city on both sides of the river from annual floods. A 1.25 km flood defence wall in Baghlan Province prevents over 300 ha of farmland from flooding. Additionally, over 82 km of new/restored irrigation channels in Badakhshan and Baghlan Provinces enable farmers to increase their yields. Two electricity supply grid expansion projects are near completion. Electricity supplies have been improved for some 60,000 people in Kunduz and Baghlan.

As well as expanding infrastructure, the project team is promoting training for ministry staff and business representatives in the form of management training, coaching and on-the-job training. This is helping to ensure that the new or renovated infrastructure is used and maintained as effectively as possible. For example, engineers completed specialist courses to deepen their knowledge of surveying, enabling them to better plan infrastructure projects in future.

With the help of project funding, it has been possible to improve quality of life for individuals in the affected regions and to boost their confidence in state institutions and elected representatives, as these individuals were involved in the infrastructure measures. This is facilitating the establishment of effective, legitimate and responsive state structures at provincial and district level and also boosting economic growth in the country.