MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Jan 8 (NNN-ANA) – Afghan authorities inaugurated a water canal in Dawlatabad district of the northern Balkh province, to irrigate more than 8,000 hectares of land, a provincial government official, Mohammad Ibrahim, said yesterday.
Financed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), at a cost of 20 million afghanis (0.23 million U.S. dollars), the canal, which was officially put into use on Thursday, would facilitate the farmers to irrigate more than 8,000 hectares of land, in Dawlatabad district and adjoining areas, the official told reporters.
The provincial administration would do its best, to bring more land under water, as part of efforts to develop the agriculture sector and facilitate farmers to increase agricultural production, the official noted.
Last year, Acting Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban-run establishment, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, inaugurated the construction of a 285 km-long water canal in Qush Tepa area of the Balkh province, to irrigate 550,000 hectares of land in Balkh and the neighbouring Jawzjan and Faryab provinces.– NNN-ANA
