Mitigating potential drought displacement through emergency WASH response in rural Ghor  Daykundi With below-average precipitation levels during the 2020/21 winter and 2021 spring seasons, as well as high temperatures, induced by La Niña, Afghanistan is experiencing a prolonged dry spell that is likely to worsen into a drought. Snowpack is low, resulting in less water from snowmelt, which has led to declining water tables across the country. Communities are already experiencing challenges with water access both for domestic use and for agricultural activities. Communities facing heightened risk of diseases due to COVID-19 may become more vulnerable to waterborne diseases with drought conditions.

CRS conducted a rapid multi-sectoral assessment in February and April 2021 that revealed significant WASH needs in Ghor and Daykundi, both among the provinces identified by the ICCT Spring Disaster Contingency Plan and the WASH Cluster with the most critical humanitarian needs in Afghanistan. Community members interviewed in focus group discussions all indicated that the water levels from various water sources in their communities were the lowest they have seen in recent years, even lower when compared with spring 2017 prior to the previous drought. Many expressed serious concerns over the availability of drinking water especially later in the summer months, when water levels are expected to decrease further. Key informant interviews with government stakeholders, such as the Provincial Department for Rural Rehabilitation and Development (PRRD), echo these same concerns. In many rural communities, water tables have not fully recovered from the 2017/18 drought and the current conditions foretell prolonged and precarious water scarcity and water quality issues. In the absence of immediate WASH assistance, rural households living at places of origin may be forced to migrate to urban areas. 

Through the AHF 2nd RA, CRS proposes to provide emergency WASH assistance to rural communities at places of origin in Daykundi and Ghor to mitigate the risk of displacement, focusing on the following key activities:
- Rehabilitate existing water supply systems, such as repairing boreholes, further excavating wells, replacing handpumps, and maintenance of solar-powered water supply systems and gravity-led pipe schemes
- Drill and develop new boreholes where there are no other immediate solutions to restore water access
- Establish and train water management committees, which include both men and women as members, so that they have the capacity for the continued operation and maintenance of these systems
- Promote household water treatment methods, including the provision of water purification tablets where appropriate until safe water access is restored
- Hygiene promotion, especially critical handwashing times, incorporating key messages on disease prevention through Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)

CRS will engage closely with those who are often marginalized from decision-making processes, such as women and adolescent girls, to ensure that the project address their specific WASH needs. Intentional consultation with these individuals will ensure that water access provided by the project is sensitive to gender and gender-based violence (GBV) concerns. Collectively, these activities will provide target communities with sustained access to safe water, building their resilience to the shocks of the impending drought. The project will assist an estimated 21,000 individuals living in 16 communities in Ghor and Daykundi. 

CRS has worked in Ghor since 2005 and Daykundi since 2014. In both provinces, CRS assisted rural communities in the 2017/18 drought through an emergency WASH response. The project builds on CRS’ existing operational presence in both provinces, where it has built strong relations with government stakeholders and a high level of community acceptance. It also draws on its extensive WASH experience in projects funded by donors such as USAID in the past 16 years.