Consequence of conflict in Afghanistan continues……

In the past two decades almost the entire road infrastructure was destroyed. In a land locked country like Afghanistan, the road network provides vital communication and transport services. National roads, that encircle the major centers of Afghanistan, and also connect it to neighboring countries, were concrete and asphalt surfaced and covered some 2500 kilometers. Afghanistan had 18,000 kilometers of road prior to the outbreak of war. Some 6,000 kilometers of access roads were built during the war, mainly from districts to villages—these roads are technically unsound and unprofessionally built.11

Irrigation and water management system has been severely destroyed. Agriculture has been the backbone of the Afghanistan economy and almost half of the irrigation systems have been destroyed in the process of conflict.

The presence of more than 10 million landmines forced hundreds of thousands of farmers to be displaced off their farms and pastures with consequent degradation because of lack of ecological stakeholders and disruption of social norms. The burden of landmines has had a disastrous impact on the lives of nomads, which make up one-fifth of the population. Kabul and other cities were destroyed due to the heavy bombardment during the height of civil war (1992-94). As a result urban housing has been severely destroyed. Urban services are almost non- existent. Lack of solid waste management system in urban centers has contributed to proliferation of diseases. Afghanistan has a high energy potential, both in hydropower and natural gas production. However the conflict has affected the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity—both hydro and diesel-based. Telecommunications systems also have been largely destroyed.
 
To be continued…..