Bimbi Irrigation Project

Project completed on: 2015-05-03

Project is completed

Location

The area designated for irrigation is located outside the Liwonde National Park in Bimbi Village. It extends from the Katapasya River down to the Shire River. The project area is situated at 482 m+NN and is bordered by the villages of Bimbi, Chisawa and Liwonde National Park.

Population

The population is very poor and lives from agriculture. Without irrigation only one harvest per year is possible. A harvest, which is usually in March, does not last the whole year. Therefore the people suffer hunger with increasing time and are dependent on food aid from abroad.

What's the problem?

The area is very hot and also lies in the rain shadow of the mountains. Therefore there is too little rainfall to be able to practice agriculture all year round. In the villages, the water table in the dry season is about 4.60 m deep - too deep for the plant roots to reach the water.

A woman with her children is standing at a well to get water

Our Help

Together with the local people and an interdisciplinary team, we plan and advise an irrigation system for an initial 9 hectares. In three further phases further land will be irrigated. Since the irrigation area is located not far from the Shire River, the river water infiltrates the area.

With the irrigation, three instead of one harvest per year can be achieved. This is enough for self-sufficiency and to sell some more. With the profit the families can pay school fees, medical expenses, medicine etc. and are independent from foreign aid.

One hectare is enough for 10 families with about 6 family members each.

Man with a measuring tape in the well. You can see the water level

What does the project cost?

Project costs for 9 hectares: about 44,500 US dollars

Our share: about 4,000 US dollars for planning and consulting on site

: 13 May 2016

Project Details