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The Department for International Development has allocated up to £30 million over three years to the Government of Afghanistan to support its Helmand Agricultural and Rural Development programme (HARDP). This programme is designed to extend the Government’s National Priority programmes to Helmand, and will fund projects in the road-building, community development, micro-credit, water/sanitation and agriculture sectors. Since the programme started in January, over 1000 wells have been surveyed and designed. Of these, 120 wells have been completed, benefiting around 21,000 people and work is continuing on a further 30. A second batch of 150 wells will begin construction shortly. Construction has also started on four roads, totalling 51 km. These roads should be completed by May, security permitting. In 2006-07, the UK Government also committed £6.2 million to fund 128 quick impact projects. These have included improvements in flood defences; humanitarian assistance to drought victims and those who have had to flee their homes; refurbishment of 30 tractors and ploughs; permanent vehicle checkpoints to improve security; and improvements to two local markets.
The UK has committed £270 million to support counter narcotics activity in Afghanistan, including support for the National Drugs Control strategy. This includes £30 million for the Counter Narcotics Trust Fund, which was set up specifically to support the National Drugs Control strategy. The fund will bring counter narcotics funding on budget; give the Afghans greater ownership over this important agenda; and ensure that assistance is targeted as effectively as possible. In 2006-07, the Department for International Development also spent £33.7 million on programmes to strengthen and diversify legal rural livelihoods.