Summary
Together with our partner Justdiggit, we have implemented a Rainwater Harvesting pilot Project in Pembamoto village, Kongwa District. The project involves a 100 hectare area by bringing back natural vegetation on the severely degraded land, making it once again useful for farmers and pastoralists.
The main intervention used in this project is the Rainwater Harvesting techniques using half-moon bunds or earth smiles. More than 5,000 bunds have been dug in an area reserved for grazing in the village. These bunds capture rainwater which would otherwise wash away over the dry and barren soil. The rain water is slowed down and stored temporarily behind the bund, enabling the water to infiltrate the soil. Seeds that were still present in the soil have started to grow, regreening the bunds and the spaces in between. Further destructive erosion by gullies is prevented and even reversed.
Duration and Status
Three years from October 2018 to December 2021
The project has been completed successfully and now entered into sustainability phase to make sure that the regreened area is there to stay.
Achievements
- 5,000+ half-boon bunds dug
- 100 hectares of grazing land restored
Partners
This program is implemented in partnership with the Dutch NGO Justdiggit based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
