National Groundwater Conference

The Hon. Minister underlined the importance of protection and good management of groundwater resources in Afghanistan. Mistakes will adversely affect to future of Afghan people. It is important to investigate the groundwater balance and to do that we have to map the whole country.

So see key talking points click on Speech points to the left.

Eng Mina Ghalib emphasized the importance of water in Afghanistan. Water will be cause of internal and external conflict in a future. We have to be aware and to take care.
We need to know that the situation is in Afghanistan with respect to the quality of the groundwater. What is the status today? who knows?
We need to have clear recommendations regarding this vital issue on the end of groundwater conference. AEA hope this can be achieved
 Thanks to the organizing committee especially the support from NORPLAN , NORAD and FAO.

The Hon. deputy minister focused on the fact that 75% of rural population need access to safe drinking water which is the responsibility of MRRD.
MRRD need to have the groundwater atlas and professional hydrogeologists to know the occurrence of groundwater quality/quantity when planning services.
MRRD has implemented the groundwater pilot project in Faryab jointly with NORPLAN and funded by NORAD.
We hope to cover most part of Afghanistan and produce  GW atlas for   the whole country.
MRRD has well trained staff and well arranged database already established under the current project.
It is important that all data and expertise is shared with line ministries. The responsibilities of each line ministries must be clear in the field of water resourse of Afghanistan.
Good coordination between international donors and government is needed in this field. The deputy minister thanked all organizers of this GW conference

MUDA(Deputy minster) Eng.Salik
MUDA is responsible for all drinking water of urban areas. Groundwater is the main source for urban water supply
The Hon. deputy minister emphasised that good coordination among the ministries line regarding water resources is essential
Thank for the organizing committee  AEA,  fund supporter of Conference especially NORPLAN/NORAD and FAO

Groundwater quality is a big challenge in a future, due  to expanding of urbanization/climate change/ population growth.

Lack of sewerage system, lack of expertise and lack of information will also be a big challenge in a future and these issues need to be addressed.

MAIL is using huge amount of water , both surface water and recently also ground water.
Planning for groundwater in a future is necessary, due to disappearances and prolonged drought in the country.
How to manage  , monitor  both, surface and GW??? we have to work together, share the data /expertise
MAIL is willing to  corporate with all line ministries and other organization in regards of the groundwater mapping and management. MAIL hope to have same great conference repeated in a future

Key issues addressed by the Hon. deputy Minister Ziaie when closing the conference. He Commended the organisers, and stated clear support to continue the good work already started on groundwter mapping in Afghanistan. Now the work needed to continue to cover all other areas in Afghanistan and MEW would follow up and work with all key actors to secure success. So see key talking points click on Speech points to the left.

Thank you for organizing this conference and on behave of MoHE I wish you all the best with positive results from the end conference.
Water is important, and aspects linked to water quality, use and availability. Groundwater is so important for access to safe water in rural areas of Afghanistan. Protected groundwater can reduce the suffering of afghan children from water borne diseases.
It is important to know how to survey, monitor, manage, protect and managed well the vital sources of of groundwater.
Afghan academia will support you in any field especially in the field of groundwater investigation project, through our professors and scholars
-Based  on strategic plan, MoEH made a decision to expand the research project at any field to skill up the capacity especially in practical part, still practical expertise is a gap and we are fully trying to fulfill this gaps.
We have established the faculty of water resources and hydrogeological department in the frame of Polytechnic - University, due to importance of this vital issue in a future life of the country. Once again thanks from all and hope to see such a research projects in all over the country as a pilot project which  you have done in faryab province.

Water is a vital sources for drinking water, but we faced with a big challenge. Of more than 50000 deep well drilled in the country, most of them are not drilled and developed properly nor professionally.
Another challenge is the illegal use of groundwater in all over the country., overextraction (Negative GW balance) is observed in all many places and particularly in Kabul basin/due to weak control and lack of update research work for the GW situation.
Groundwater may not be sufficient to meet the total need for drinking waters and alternative solutions needs to be investigated.
Challenges are also cause by lack of fund , limited use of technology and well trained staffs
Mismanagement of water resources is unfortunately also a serious problem nationwide to be addressed.

Groundwater is important and much thanks to the Groundwater conference organizing committee.
Eng.  Mujaddidy  was very encouraged with to learn how Afghan Engineering Association and Afghan  Water line Ministries  had worked very successfully with Norplan on the NORAD funded project for the development of the Water Atlas for Faryab province as a pilot project .
Traditional water resources systems (Kareez and Springs) plus Shallow Wells  are recently not sufficient for all uses, especially for drinking water.
Groundwater is a crucial  water sources   which is faced with shortage and contamination, due to negative balance, growth of population and climate change impact.
-Any step to be forward in a future of Groundwater development for more sustainability will be a positive result will be most welcome.

-KFW is working closely with government in urban area for water supply and sewerage system
-KFW invested around  70 million Euro  for water supply and sewerage system in Kabul as a capital of the country and KFW is fully focused on drinking water in urban areas.
-Thanks for the development of hydrogeological atlas to identify the groundwater situation( Quality and quantity of GW in Faryab province).

On behave of the FAO thanks for the organizing committee. We hope  to have sustainability of groundwater (GW) use in a future.
-GW source is important. This important resource is limited in Afghanistan. We have to manage GW sustainable manner for current and future generation.
-Main challenge of GW in Afghan water line organizations:
- Lack of data(quality and quantity), lack of information regarding aquifer properties, occurrence
We need the GW management and FAO is assisting to establish the planning framework with MEW for water management .
-FAO has been working with MEW on water management in five river basins and  with the rehabilitation of irrigation system for the area which faced with challenge

Thanks to all. GIZ is working with water sectors of Afghanistan from 2005.
-Current program of GIZ started from 2008-2016 with water line ministries especially with  MEW in the field of water sources (Groundwater (GW) and surface water (SW))
-GIZ is working closely with MEW on Water resources and infrastructure as a package
-Afghan government faces a lot of of challenge in water resources management, distribution, control and protection of water resources.
-Germany worked more than 40-50 years to developed the IWRM (Integrated Water Resource Management) , German experts will try hard to assist in developing IWRM approach for Afghan territories .
-Due to increasing demands for water in a future where there will be a big challenge to manage the resources and competition for water whether this will be national or international interests. Water is easily an issue causing serious conflicts. So good management, expertise, knowledge  and well identification of future needs and challenges will be the key for meeting a better future.