Most of the hillsides in northern Afghanistan are not forested or covered with grass, and when heavy rains come the land is susceptible to erosion. Floods caused by rainfall or springtime snow melt can cause damage to infrastructure such as roads and irrigation canals, fields, and property.
In the past few years Shelter For Life’s teams in Afghanistan have implemented many projects to help communities protect themselves against the devastating effects of floods. These measures include building retaining walls, trenches, and terraces to minimize the effects of erosion. Hundreds of thousands of trees have been planted to help stabilize the soil, and provide fruit and nuts. And canals and aqueducts have been built to channel water to farmers’ fields.
