Irrigation System Repairs
Ethiopia is known to some as the “water tower” of eastern Africa. Fourteen major rivers flow off of the highlands, and it amazingly holds Africa’s greatest water reserves. And yet, less than two percent of available water is used for irrigation. Lack of organization, and limited resources, account for the people’s insufficient use of available water in the rivers and lakes scattered throughout the country.
As irrigation is not generally available, the soil remains dry and lifeless in the dry seasons. The effort people must expend to haul water from the rivers across many miles to their homes and farms is just too great. It makes farming their traditional crops in the dry season next to impossible.
Morrell Agro Industries has undertaken the task of repairing irrigation systems that are currently in use.
Above Kersa Illala, there is a small village with a canal. The canal was in terrible condition, and not an effective way of moving water. MAI put a plastic liner in the canal, the first one ever done in Ethiopia, although the practice has been used for decades in the United States. It was a wonderful project, but only a few short months after it was finished, villagers went in and cut out the plastic for their personal use. It turned out to be an unsuccessful project, but new options are being explored.