The Qosh Tepa Canal, recognized as one of Afghanistan’s most strategic water management and agricultural development projects, is rapidly approaching completion and its official inauguration.
Kabul 24: Officials and execution teams report that despite severe resource constraints, structural work on this mega-project has progressed with high momentum to set a foundational step toward national economic self-reliance.
Nuruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce, noted that the construction process is entering its final stages, fulfilling a long-held aspiration of the Afghan people.
He highlighted that managing surface water and expanding irrigation infrastructure through this canal will play a vital role in boosting domestic agricultural output and strengthening the nation’s food security chain.
Concurrently, the National Development Company, serving as the primary contractor, reported rigorous technical progress across the canal route.
Nabiullah Arghandiwal, spokesperson for the company, confirmed that engineering crews are working intensively on the headworks and the construction of 36 bridges along the channel. He emphasized that Phase Two is near completion, with all civil works adhering strictly to technical engineering standards to ensure a durable and high-capacity infrastructure.
Far beyond a basic water diversion scheme, the Qosh Tepa Canal is designed as an economic catalyst for northern Afghanistan. Originating from the Amu Darya River in the Kaldar district of Balkh province, the canal stretches across Balkh and Jawzjan provinces before terminating in the Andkhoy district of Faryab province.
Upon full completion of all three planned phases, the canal will irrigate more than three million jeribs (approx. 600,000 hectares) of arid land. This milestone is set to generate tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs, ensure long-term food independence, and fundamentally transform the socio-economic landscape of the northern region.
