In many regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, land degradation including soil erosion, is increasing as a result of agricultural land expansion and deforestation to secure fuelwood. In the Ethiopian Highlands located in East Africa, deforestation is a major cause of soil erosion and has a significant impact on agriculture and living environments in the rural areas.

In Ethiopia, which has 110 million people, the second largest population on the African continent, agriculture accounts for more than 30% of GDP and 66% of employment. In recent years, population continues to increase at an annual rate of 2.6% it is necessary to strengthen the food production base. Retaining soil moisture is important for improving crop productivity, but only 0.5% of farmlands in Ethiopia is irrigated, making it necessary to develop a water harvesting technology and infrastructure for effective use of rainwater.

As part of the project “Watershed Management in Africa”, JIRCAS, in collaboration with local universities and local governments, has made it possible to reclaim farmlands in the Ethiopian Highlands using micro-dam sediments. The reclaimed farmlands can be expected to improve the lives of residents by providing employment opportunities and source of income for landless farmers.

The Journal of the Japanese Society of Irrigation, Drainage and Rural Engineering (JSIDRE) featured a photo of a bridge located near the project site in its February 2021 issue (same photo in this article). The cover history article also introduced the ongoing project in the Kawa Trail Bridge in Tigray Province, Ethiopia.

Reference
水土の知: Journal of the Japanese Society of Irrigation, Drainage and Rural Engineering (JSIDRE) February 2021 Vol. 89 No. 2 pp.42-43 (In Japanese)

Contributor: KODA Kazuhisa (Rural Development Division)