Revival of Aflaj and its Necessity
Ali Mohtashami
Assistant Professor
UNESCO Chair on Aflaj Studies
Water is necessary for human survival, and nowhere is this clearer than in arid and semi-arid regions, like Oman. In these areas, the scarcity of water brings some challenges for domestic usages and agricultural practices. However, Oman’s ancient civilizations used ingenious solutions to address this issue, and it is the usage of falaj. The falaj is a traditional irrigation system that has played an important role in providing communities with a reliable water supply for centuries.
It is a gravity-based water abstraction system, consisting of a source point, underground channels and some ventilation shafts. This system aims to transport water from a source point, such as an Ain (spring), wadies or an aquifer, to agricultural fields. In many parts of Oman, aflaj have had a great impact in shaping urban development, such that without them, many cities and villages would not have been able to form.
Aflaj are being used in this country, even though new pumping methods have come out. They are still the main sources of water for farming in this country, as they are sustainable. These resources are threatened by a lot of problems during these years and centuries, including floods, earthquakes, droughts, increasing water demands, disregarding borders (harims), and more support for modern water supply systems. These problems are caused by both human and natural causes that are getting worse. For example, to meet the growing need for water, societies have gotten rid of their aflaj and replaced them with deep or semi-deep wells.
Concerns have been raised about the aflaj based on the mentioned issues, which could potentially diminish their significance. Therefore, suitable solutions are needed to ensure the long-term growth of these areas and the ability to continue farming. To this end, there is a need to save, re-build, and revive these sustainable groundwater resources to life in a way that gets groundwater in a smart way that allows for long-term resource use. So, it is very important to revive the aflaj while taking into account the many things that affect this old way of getting water.
In recent times, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of reviving falaj systems as a means of ensuring survival in arid regions. As communities face the challenges of water scarcity and sustainability, the revival of falaj systems can provide a sustainable solution. By engaging the knowledge and practices of the past, communities can secure their water supply and support agricultural activities.
Some of the importance of the revival of aflaj are listed below:
1. Despite the propagation of new water supply methods in recent years, such as well drilling, building reservoir dams, aflaj continue to remain active as one of the major components of water supply. Safeguarding them in the near future, considering the vast geographical dispersion of aflaj and the importance of the water they provide under suitable conditions, is important agriculturally, economically, socially, culturally, and historically.
2- Each individual has a duty to preserve and protect the historical relics of the country for cultural and historical reasons, which reflect the culture and history of past civilizations, especially aflaj. They are still considered one of the important and fundamental factors in maintaining and stabilizing rural settlements, as well as promoting the spirit of cooperation, participation, and collaboration.
3- Given the trend of water extraction through various projects, controlling surface waters, especially through the implementation of various watershed and aquifer projects, and the potential increase in the stability of groundwater levels, replenishing aflaj, it is entirely justifiable that in the current circumstances, drilling new aflaj is not feasible or cost-effective. Therefore, the revival, reconstruction, and maintenance of existing aflaj are essential.
