A cistern is being constructed to capture and store rainwater. Photo: Øystein Nedrebø/Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis AbabaRainfall in Afar is scarce and when rain comes, the nature of the soil and climate forces water to quickly drain away and evaporate. To access water, people must frequently walk long distances to water sources with varying availability.
In order to increase water security, the Norwegian Embassy is supporting construction of cisterns for rainwater harvesting in Afar region. FARM Africa, through the Semurobi Community Development Project (SRCDP) and in collaboration with the Development Fund (DF), is building water cisterns in the Semurobi area. On 9-10 May representatives from the Embassy and the DF visited sites of cistern construction and operational structures.
Afar pastoralists cleaning the silt trap of a completed water cistern with hands-on assistance from the Norwegian Embassy and implementing organisations. Photo: Øystein Nedrebø/Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis AbabaThe SRCDP is also has also started establishing pump-irrigation schemes in an effort to enable agro-pastoralists to grow crops in order to diversify their livelihoods. While the limited rainfall precludes sedentary farming as a livelihood strategy in most of Afar, irrigated agriculture is an option in proximity of rivers. The DF implemented United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) programme aims to support sustainable utilisation of water resources.
Click here to read more about the Norwegian-funded UNCCD project.
Agro-pastoralists are supported to utilise river water for irrigated agriculture. Photo: Øystein Nedrebø/Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa