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Contents : Regional Rural Economic Regeneration Strategies (RRERS) GRM Provincial profile for Helmand Province Executive Summary 1 Natural Resources (ANDS Sector 3) Helmand Province is very rich with natural resources in particular with potential that exists in the province for Agriculture Livestock Fishery Poultry Forestry and Horticulture because of: Fertile and deep soils The natural water resources and irrigation infrastructure present Helmand could be divided into 2 parts in terms of water resources: (i) southern Helmand and (ii) Northern Helmand. Southern Helmand: Has got one main river Helmand- River that is flowing throughout the province in the southern part and irrigates almost 70% of the agricultural lands of the province. On top of that Helmand has got the Kajaki Dam which helps the province with irrigation capacity and with hydraulic power generation capacity. The Helmand River has got 3 main canals separated from it in 3 parts of the province under a project in the past: 1. Bughra Canal with the intake on Helmand River in Grishk district flowing through Grishk to Marja district with 70 M3 /Sec original flow capacity irrigating over 60 000/-jeribs of land. 2. Darvishan Canal with Intake on Helmand River in Darvishan flowing all over Garmseer district in Lakarai Binadir irrigating around 50 000/-jeribs of land in Garmseer district. 3. Shamalan Canal with Intake on Helmand River in Bolan bridge area flowing in Nawa district through Sourkhodoz irrigating around 40 000/-jeribs of land There are many sub canals from the abovementioned 3 canals as well as many traditional canals on Helmand River made by the villagers. Northern Helmand is covering the parts of Nawzad Baghni Baghran and other districts located in the north of the province where Helmand River doesn t flow through and it doesn t play a role in the agriculture of the area. The main source of water used to be karezes and natural springs. The long-term drought of 5-7 years has strongly affected this part of the province the karezes have mostly dried out and people use deep bore-wells which has further damaged the traditional karez irrigation system as the water table has dropped below the karez intake level. Helmand has got a very big natural forest all the way along the river on both sides from Khanishin to Diwalak Malakhan Taghaz Dishu Khoja Ali Aulia Khoja Ali Sufla Landai Falalka Rodbar and then to Charborjak of Nimroz. The main trees are Tamarix and the forest is mainly used as grazing area for the livestock of the farmers and Kuchi. Helmand has got capacity for more artificial forestry where drought resistance trees such as Tamarix Saxaul and other trees such as Eucalyptus and pinetrees could be grown. This will require clear policy decisions on land titles for forestry production if it were to be a private-sector economic activity. In the agricultural field Helmand has got potential and suitable climate for long season cultivation of cereal crops industrial crops as well as orchards. Especially in southern-Helmand 3 crops a year are possible and 1 of 9 Regional Rural Economic Regeneration Strategies (RRERS) GRM with support of simple green houses/tunnels out of season vegetable production for the regional market would be an interesting prospect for especially the farmers with small land plots. Helmand capacity for livestock production is also very high: the possibility to produce year-round fodder under irrigation (lucerne berseem green maize/sorghum) would make dairy development if accompanied with the build-up of processing capacity a good prospect. Helmand has traditionally been the area where the Kuchi would spend the winter season grazing orchards buying forage from sedentary farmers and working as day labourers for these farmers. The integration of the Kuchi livestock production system with the sedentary agricultural production system is of mutual benefit (soil fertility-winter feeding labour risk spreading). Helmand has the potential for fish production especially on the soils destroyed by salination which are no longer suitable for irrigation but still within reach of water and poultry production due to the presence of grain. Helmand has got marble mines in Deshu district in the Registan sandy deserts bordering Pakistan. This is one of the highest quality marble in the country but due to the lack of roads inaccessible from the Afghan side and currently apparently being smuggled to Pakistan. 2 Human Resources Helmand province has got a high educated proportion of the population in the region and in that respect could be compared to Kandahar. There are many educated professional and skilled people in the province in particular in Lashkargah Grishk Marja NadiAli Bolan and areas close and surrounding the Lashkargah city. Apart from standard primary and secondary educational facilities Helmand province has an Agriculture High School in Lashkargah and a t

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