Irrigation outreach in Afghanistan : exposure to Afghan water security challenges

In recent years Afghanistan has emerged from the obscurity of its remote South Asian location to become one of the most scrutinized nations on earth. It’s a landlocked state that represents some of the most sparsely populated and ethnically diverse landholdings to emerge from the ancient Mongol and Persian empires. Perched on the south western corner of the Himalayas, its topography includes a range of elevations such as the remote valleys and steep peaks of the Hindu Kush range. From altitudes of up to almost 8,000 meters, snowmelt and rains form four major river systems: the Amu Daria to the north, Helmand to the south, Harirud or Herierod to the west, and Kabul to the east. Reports vary on arable land and available water resources in Afghanistan. [authors abstract]