A community-based pistachio and mulberry plantation initiative in Faryab Province is helping restore degraded watershed areas

A community-based pistachio and mulberry plantation initiative in Faryab Province is helping restore degraded watershed areas while strengthening local resilience and future livelihoods. Through the PREVALE Project (ARC), ActionAid, Afghanistan, supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, planted 26,100 saplings (10,500 mulberry and 15,600 pistachio) across 12 watershed sites in Gurziwan, Khwaja Sabz Posh, and Pashtun Kot districts in March 2026.
The campaign was designed with strong community participation, including local elders, watershed committees, and residents who helped select plantation sites, choose tree species suited to local conditions, mobilize labour, and coordinate irrigation and maintenance plans. A transparent community-led labour selection process prioritized vulnerable households, while awareness sessions promoted tree protection and aftercare, covering proper irrigation, livestock grazing control, and preventing damage to young saplings. Monitoring and follow-up visits will continue to support sapling survival, irrigation needs, and potential expansion to additional vulnerable watershed areas.