Returning cultivated lands on Tajik-Afghan border to local communities

SUMMARY: It is a well-known but tragic fact that the presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) long outlasts the conflicts in which they were used. These persistent dangers can last for generations, limiting access to agricultural land and dragging down national economies. These dangers also make it even harder for people struggling to recover from conflict to rebuild their lives and provide for their families. Years after the battle is over, landmines and UXO remain hidden in fields, roads and even footpaths, until a civilian unknowingly treads on them, or a small child finds UXO and – thinking it is a toy – triggers a deadly explosion. Every day local people risk their lives as they go about their normal tasks, and farmers are especially at risk. Farming should not be a dangerous occupation, but it is when you live near a minefield.