Months of no rain in Huila Province, Southern Angola have brought communities to near starvation. It’s like it has sucked life out of the vast region. People have to trek several kilometers to find water or vegetable and fruit for which they have to face the wildlife.
Angola’s government has now started building three water projects in the provinces of Cunene and Huila to meet the needs. The dams will significantly reduce the impact of the drought in the affected regions as assured by the water ministry.
“We are creating a water reserve to meet the needs of the population, of livestock, and of agricultural activity, more specifically irrigation,” said Manuel Quintino, the director-general of the National Institute of Water Resources of the Ministry of Energy and Water.
The projects valued at $630 million rest on the diversion of the flow of major rivers. But environmentalists have voiced concerns about possible damage to fragile ecosystems which they say could aggravate climate change.
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Data source: Africa news