79695
South-East Copper Segment Resource
Corridor – Pilot Study
Descriptions and Suggestions of Beneficial Projects
within Selected Areas of Interest
November 2012
Reference # WB/A1005/SECS/1.1
Table
of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1
Background ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Suggestions ......................................................................................................................................... 1
AOI locations ....................................................................................................................................... 1
AOI 1.1 – Surkh Rod District Centre ........................................................................................................ 3
Description .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Suggestions ......................................................................................................................................... 3
AOI 1.2 – including Sarachah and Pitaw communities ........................................................................... 4
Description .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Suggestions ......................................................................................................................................... 4
AOI 1.3 – north of Shubdiani................................................................................................................... 5
Description .......................................................................................................................................... 5
Suggestions ......................................................................................................................................... 5
AOI 2.1 – Ghezgai settlement ................................................................................................................. 7
Description .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Suggestions ......................................................................................................................................... 7
AOI 2.2 – Ani Khan Khel and surrounds .................................................................................................. 9
Description .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Suggestions ......................................................................................................................................... 9
AOI 2.3 – Butkhak Settlement ............................................................................................................... 11
Description ........................................................................................................................................ 11
Suggestions ....................................................................................................................................... 11
Introduction
Background
The World Bank, in collaboration with the Afghanistan Ministry of Mines and
Australian Aid, is planning to develop a number of resource corridors across
Afghanistan over the next 8 to 10 years. As part of the initial planning, the World
Bank is conducting detailed analysis of the potential corridors that have so far been
identified. Part of this analysis will cover the communities affected by the
development of these corridors and the identification of potential locations for
additional soft projects within the developing resource corridors. Alcis holds a
range of spatial datasets that can support the analysis of the communities within
the resource corridors.
Suggestions
The suggestions for projects contained in this report are based solely on the
analysis of spatial data, mapping and imagery with no opportunity to conduct any
ground truthing or local surveys to further develop a sense of the appropriateness
of these suggestions. As such, all these suggestions need to be further explored
locally.
AOI locations
The map below shows the selected areas of interest (AoI’s) on a background of the
‘development potential’ landscape developed as part of the project, and used as part
of the assessment of suitable projects.
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AOI 1.1 – Surkh
Rod District Centre
Description
AOI 1.1 contains the built up and immediate surrounding areas of the district centre
for Surkh Rod district in Nangahar. This district centre sits on the well-established
main road that runs through the centre of the district that currently is the main
route connecting the west of the Province and Surkh Rod district with Jalalabad,
the Provincial capital and which is the road of interest for the South-East copper
segment corridor. The section of road that runs through this AOI and onto
Jalalabad is metalled allowing good access to the Provincial capital and Kabul and
Pakistan. The AOI is densely populated both within the district centre but in the
immediate surrounding settlements. The rural areas contain a mixture of
productive, mostly good quality double cropping agriculture with a significant nonfarm industry of brick manufacture, evidenced through the processing plants and
smoke stacks observed in imagery. The intricate network of minor irrigation
canals and road networks support both the agricultural and brick manufacture
industry. There appears to be low levels of electricity in the area, borne out by the
lights at night data. The integrated development potential mapping indicates this
area to be one of the most advantaged areas within the 5km buffer along the
resource corridor, with a total score of over 140.
Suggestions
This AOI contains some of the most advantaged communities along the resource
corridor and is showing signs of diversified farming and non-farming activity,
enabled by the metalled road that joins them to the Provincial Capital. Suggested
projects that would be of benefit to the community within this AOI are:
 Improved electricity supply to the area.
 Improved local roads connecting the communities, brick industry and
agriculture to main road
 Increased diversified perennial agriculture through support for establishment of
orchards or vineyards
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AOI 1.2 – including
Sarachah and
Pitaw communities
Description
AOI 1.2 contains two population centres, Sarachah and Pitaw, along with a number
of dispersed settlements alongside and either side of the main highway 7, which
connects Jalalabad and eastern Afghanistan with Pakistan and which is as well the
road of interest for the South-East copper segment corridor. The section of road
that runs through this AOI is metalled, allowing good access to the Provincial
capital and Kabul and as well to Pakistan.
The rural areas contain a mixture of productive, mostly very good or good quality
highly diversified double cropping and perennial agriculture with some significant
road side trading activity alongside route 7. The intricate network of minor
irrigation canals and road networks support both the agricultural industry and
provides connectivity to the main highway. There appears to be low levels of
electricity in the area, borne out by the lights at night data. The integrated
development potential mapping indicates this area to be one of the most
advantaged areas within the 5km buffer along the resource corridor, with a total
score of over just 140.
Suggestions
This AOI contains some of the most advantaged communities along the resource
corridor, has some extremely well diversified agricultural activities and is showing
signs of road side trading activity. Suggested projects that would be of benefit to
the community within this AOI are:
 Improved electricity supply to the area.
 Improved local roads connecting the communities and agriculture to main
road
 Improved roadside trade along route 7
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AOI 1.3 – north of
Shubdiani
Description
AOI 1.3 contains a spread of rural communities aligned amongst the agriculture,
along the main highway 7 or in greater concentrations to the south of the main
road, which forms part of the Bati Kot district centre. Highway 7 connects
Jalalabad and eastern Afghanistan with Pakistan and is the road of interest for the
South-East copper segment corridor. The section of road that runs through this
AOI is metalled, allowing good access to the Provincial capital and Kabul and as
well to Pakistan.
The rural areas contain a mixture of productive very good or good quality highly
diversified double cropping agriculture with a significant road side trading activity
alongside route 7. The eastern area of the AOI along route 7 has a very high
concentration of roadside trading which appears to have developed into a market,
both along the road and to the south of the road in this area, perhaps in part
supported by the presence of the district centre under 1km to the south. The
intricate network of minor irrigation canals and road networks support both the
agricultural sector and connectivity to the main highway. There appears to be low
levels of electricity in the area, borne out by the lights at night data and an
electricity line runs through the northern section of the AOI, though it is not clear
how much this line contributes to the provision of electricity within the AOI. The
integrated development potential mapping indicates this area to be one of the most
advantaged areas within the 5km buffer along the resource corridor, with a total
score of over 140.
Suggestions
This AOI contains some of the most advantaged communities along the resource
corridor and is showing signs of diversified agriculture and significant road side
trading activity. Suggested projects that would be of benefit to the community
within this AOI are:
 Improved market infrastructure to encourage greater trade, in the east of the
AOI, near route 7
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

Improved electricity supply to the area
Improved local roads connecting the communities and agriculture to main road
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AOI 2.1 – Ghezgai
settlement
Description
AOI 2.1 contains the main Ghezgai settlement alongside and to the south of the
main highway 7 and a smaller settlement, called Kandab, to the north of highway 7,
on the western edge of the AOI. Highway 7 connects Jalalabad and eastern
Afghanistan with Pakistan and which is the road of interest for the South-East
copper segment corridor. The section of road that runs through this AOI is
metalled, allowing good access to the District and Provincial capital and Kabul to
the west and to Pakistan to the east.
The human settlement pattern in this AOI is distinctly different to AOIs 1.1, 1.2 and
1.3, where in this AOI, the settlements are in the main away from the agricultural
areas. This is probably an attempt to maximise the amount of productive
agriculture in this area, which is very good quality, highly productive and highly
diversified. The intricate network of minor irrigation canals appear to be
functioning well. However it does give the sense of a community divided from its
agriculture by distance and by highway 7. There would appear to be very limited
livestock holdings, negligible roadside trading and no other form of non-farm
industry identifiable from imagery. The local road network appears very limited
within the agricultural areas north of highway 7 and there would appear to be no
electricity being delivered to this community. The integrated development potential
mapping indicates this area to be partially disadvantaged, with a total score of just
under 100.
Suggestions
This AOI contains highly productive and diversified agriculture, which would
appear to be the mainstay of this community. However it would appear that the
community not only has to travel extensively between their homes and fields but
with no local market, will probably need to transport their goods to the nearest
market as well.
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One aspect that would significantly impact this community would be the
opportunity to increase trading in agricultural products locally, which could
significantly reduce transport costs and increase margins. The trading area could
be aligned alongside the road or to the south of the road in the form of a small
market. This may as well serve to draw trade from the other agricultural areas to
the north of this AOI as well.
Other potential projects could include:
 Provision of electricity
 Non-farm light industry
 Poultry farming
 Better roads within the agricultural areas
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AOI 2.2 – Ani Khan
Khel and surrounds
Description
AOI 2.2 contains four settlements, Kuchian, Ani Khan Khel and Chine Kala to the
north of the Spin Khwab river and Akhundzadahgan to the south of the river. The
AOI is 3 km to the north of highway 7 which connects Jalalabad and eastern
Afghanistan with Pakistan and which is the road of interest for the South-East
copper segment corridor. The human settlement pattern in this AOI is around these
four main settlements with some outlying settlements amongst the agricultural
areas. This is probably an attempt to maximise the amount of productive
agriculture in this area, which is either good or very good quality, highly
productive and diversified. The minor irrigation canals appear to be functioning
well. To a large degree the settlements are separated from the agriculture in this
AOI, which increases the time taken to manage the agricultural activities of the
household. No form of non-farm industry is identifiable from imagery. The local
road network appears limited and here would appear to be no electricity being
delivered to this community. The integrated development potential mapping
indicates this area to be partially disadvantaged, with a total score of just over 100.
Suggestions
This AOI contains highly productive and diversified agriculture, which would
appear to be the mainstay of this community. However it would seem that the
three communities to the north of the AOI are significantly disadvantaged in the
lack of a crossing overs the spin Khwab river. Mapping suggests that there was
one previously but imagery indicates that there is not one there now. The lack of a
local crossing of this river denies the northern three communities the opportunity to
travel immediately south and south east to highway 7, meaning a longer journey
westwards. One aspect therefore that would significantly impact this community
would be a local river crossing.
Other potential projects could include:
 Provision of electricity
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

Poultry farming
Better roads within the agricultural areas
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AOI 2.3 – Butkhak
Settlement
Description
AOI 2.3 contains the main settlement of Butkhak along with the slightly smaller
Maktab-e Mutawasetah-e Butkhak settlement in the east of the AOI. The AOI sits
alongside the route of the planned South-East copper segment corridor though
given the state of this road to the east of this AOI, it is most likely movement along
this main route is limited to travelling to Kabul, to the west.
The agriculture in this AOI is poor and not highly productive, probably due to a
limited water supply to this area and there would appear to be some limited nonfarm industry. Mapping indicates the presence of a brick kiln in the AOI. The local
road network and connectivity to the main highway is good. The lights at night
data would suggest that there is some electricity use in this area but it is limited.
Analysis of satellite imagery shows two electricity lines running through this AOI.
The integrated development potential mapping indicates this area to be partially
disadvantaged, with a total score of over 100.
Suggestions
This AOI has very limited agricultural opportunities but the proximity to a route
that is not yet constructed connecting Kabul to Jalalabad as an alternative to
travelling via Surobi will in time bring significant opportunities for the
communities in this AOI. Given the presence of electricity pylons through this AOI
and the benefits of electricity to enable diversification into non-farm light industry,
it is suggested that electricity is brought to Butkhak community and if possible to
Maktab-e Mutawasetah-e Butkhak settlement as well.
Other potential projects could include:
 Another access route to the main highway
 Improve the roads within the AOI
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