Lake Qargha, twenty years ago

During my little research on Lake Qargha, I came across a rather old report about a rainbow trout culture project in lake Qargha. It was the final technical report of the project, written in 1990. I stumbled over the uncountable obstacles, which the project faced, and despite which FAO, the implementing agency, still pushed for the implementation of it.



The project coordinator had visited the place last in 1989, after which it was impossible for him to visit the area again due to the deteriorating security situation around the lake. Still, it was decided to continue the project until 1990, through local staff members. Though the growth of the trouts was better than anticipated, serious problems were already apparent in 1989:

1. An urgently-needed consignment of fish feed was held up at the Afghan border due to closure of the road by military action. Nets for floating cages were delayed for the same reason.
2. The Qargha area itself was experiencing daily military action, posing danger to staff working there. In particular, fire was frequently exchanged across Qargha Lake, making it impossible for fisheries personnel to work on the reservoir.
3. Due to tightening UN security regulations, including evacuation of all non-essential staff, the coordinator's visits were subject to shortening or cancellation.



Despite these difficulties, the project continued to make good progress, thanks to the creative solutions which staff members came up with in response for instance to the lack of imported feed (instead, they used a mix of livers, stomachs, lungs of sheep and goats). In spring, things looked good in the ponds: the fingerlings were big enough to be put into floating cages and moored in lake Qagha for the next few months.

Regrettably, the security situation at Qargha remained serious throughout spring and summer, and it was impossible to moor and work the cages in the lake due to the physical danger to staff. At the same time, the fish unfortunately came to the notice of soliders stationed at Qargha, in particular the militia. Large-scale thefts of trout from all the ponds by soliders continued through the summer, and the fish population of the swimming pool was wiped out by “fishing” with grenades. Senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reform did their best to stop the stealing without success.

In August, they decided to harvest whatever was left from the fish. Not much money could be gained, since the security sotation again didnt allow them to sell the fish in the market as originally planned. Instead, the fish was offered to UN and government employees and the diplomatic community.

As the report goes on, it lists as achievement that the project demonstrated the suitability of lake Qargha for trout culture activities. But since most fish was stolen, it was impossible for the evaluators to determine the economical sustainaiblity of the program. The report ends with the recommendation that the government may continue the project, and once the security situation improves, large scale fish farming should be initiated all over Afghanistan.



Twenty years on, and several governments later, I couldn't see much fish in the lake, instead, lots of Afghan families once again gathering around the lake on Fridays, drinking uncountable cups of tea and roasting goat over small gas cookers. I don't blame it on FAO that they didn't succeed in their big plans to support expand rainbow trout cultivation from Lake Qargha to the entire country; indeed, they didn't have the most conducive environment. But what makes us implement such sophisticated projects in such impossible environments? Is it our own little ego, our belief in saving the world, our trust in peace? Our ideals? Our commitment? Reports like this one make me wonder what will be left of my own efforts twenty years on.