Eco-Journalists Network-Balkh (Mediothek Afghanistan-Balkh) with the support of The Liaison Office (TLO) and The Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS) organized a monthly roundtable discussion on the topic of “Water and Urban Greenspace in Mazar-e-Sharif” in Mazar-e-Sharif on July 29, 2021.
Representatives of relevant provincial institutions including the director of information and awareness of Balkh Environment Department, director of Department for Greenspace of Balkh province and Director of Urban Greenspace of the Municipality of Mazar-e-Sharif, local members of the Eco-Journalists Network, reporters and environmental activists participated in the event.
Welcoming the participants, Mediothek Balkh (Maulana Peace House) coordinator, Mohammad Saber Naqshbandi, said that such discussions with local experts and representatives of local government organizations on environmental problems and challenges at local levels are infrequent and therefore much needed. He added that these roundtable discussions will provide a rare opportunity for journalists and environmental experts to engage in constructive discussions about environmental challenges and solutions.
Shakiba Saeedi, person in-charge of the Eco-Journalists Network-Balkh, said that one the main objectives of the establishment of the Eco-Journalists Network in Balkh is to encourage, train and mobilize local journalists to report on local environmental problems and raise public awareness through reporting and providing information on a timely and professional manner. She added that discussions with local government representatives and experts are very important in identifying local problems and finding solution and today’s topic is a very pressing one but nobody is talking about it and it forgotten.
Representatives of the relevant institutions and experts presented their analysis of the challenge and provided information about ongoing efforts, if any, for talking the challenges and responded to questions posed by participants and journalists.
At the conclusion of the roundtable discussion to tackle the problems of water shortage and shrinking greenspace in Mazar-e-Sharif, the following issues were raised and heighted and mechanisms of follow-up were identified:
- Distribution of seedlings and its care every year by government agencies in Mazar-e-Sharif (tree planting annually and continued conservation and care)
- Setting up competition programs for conservation and care seedlings and trees in different areas of Mazar by the municipality and awarding prizes with best results and performances
- Water transfer from Takhteh Pol in the west of Mazar-e-Sharif to Mazar-e-Sharif city, (the plan to transfer water Takhteh Pol was proposed many years and if materialized it would significantly water reduce shortage – both drinking and irrigation0 leading improved tree caring and greenspace the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, however despite being proposed many years ago the scheme has to be materialized).
- Sound management of underground water by relevant government institutions in Balkh province,
- Water transfer from Amu Darya to Mazar-e-Sharif city – transferring water from Kunduz to Balkh, a major project with tremendous environmental consequences and benefits,
- Research for identifying plants, trees and flowers suitable for the hot and scorching climate of Mazar-e-Sharif in and outside of the country and promoting such growing of plants and trees,
- Promoting drip irrigation system in Mazar-e-Sharif trough concerted efforts by local government to prevent water loss,
- Raising public awareness about water conservation, environmental challenges and the importance of water for life through media and relevant government institutions.
The monthly roundtable discussions are a series of monthly meetings with experts on local environmental challenges. These meetings are organized with the framework of activities of the Eco-Journalists Network.
