The climate of Afghanistan is arid and semi-arid, a result of cold winters and hot summers. Climate change and overuse of groundwater resources, land use changes, population growth and settlement in urban centres have reduced groundwater quantity and diminished groundwater quality throughout the country. Cities face severe water scarcity and degradation of quality. Groundwater use is expected to increase in rural areas. Conjunctive use with surface water and more efficient irrigation may contribute to a better protection of groundwater and surface water, the rural economy, and the wellbeing of populations.
This seminar is a contribution, a first step, to making groundwater in Afghanistan visible. It is held under the auspices of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG), the Centro de Investigação da Terra e do Espaço da Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal (CITEUC), The Groundwater Project (GW-Project), and Instituto Água Sustentável (IAS), to play a role in the United Nations Groundwater Summit 2022.
Organised by Afghanistan Groundwater Group (AGG), the Portuguese Chapter of the IAH (AIH-GP), the Afghanistan National Section of the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG-Afghanistan).