The Helmand Valley Project in Afghanistan
Abstract
A highly complex irrigation and resettlement effort to harness the water reserves of the Helmand River, the Helmand Valley Development Project consisted of 25 projects assisted by the Agency for International Development (A.I.D.) and its predecessor, the Technical Cooperation Agency. Official U.S. involvement began in 1949, and ended in 1979, with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. As this paper makes clear, the growth in agricultural productivity and income in the valley over this period were impressive. However, by 1975, inadequate attention to drainage and salinization problems had begun to cause serious deterioration in farm conditions. If allowed to persist, these problems will eventually undermine whatever gains were made over the past three decades.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA518306
Entities
People
- Cynthia Clapp-wincek
- Emily Baldwin
Organizations
- United States Agency for International Development