Most Irrigation Schemes started off providing services
It is disclosed that the construction work of most irrigation schemes which are being implemented by Organization for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara (ORDA) in collaboration with International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with an outlay of 47.3 million Ethiopian birr are completed and started off providing services.
Ato Semenh Shieferaw, Manager of Irrigation Schemes of Water Resource Development Program of ORDA, explained that the construction of 13 irrigation schemes which were started in 2011 have almost been completed and preparations are underway to recently handover on to concerned governmental offices and target beneficiaries.
Ato Guta Assefa, a farmer, living in Angolela kebele of Basona Worena district in North Showa administrative zone stated that he has completed the preparations for cultivating his one ha arable land and he has aspired to change his families' lives sustainably irrigated farm newly constructed irrigation scheme built by ORDA/IFAD collaborative effort on Gerba river.
As Ato Guta explained that the community have promised for themselves to say no to begging and worshiping Gerba river exercising rituals by scarifying slaughtered sheep, boiling coffee, baking bread, pouring traditional alcoholic drinks and special smokes to Gerba in an effort to giving them peace in return, to boosting their yield, and to increasing the number of their cattle. But now, he added, "Thanks to ORDA exceeding worship of Gerba irrigation, we have done all preparations and started our work to benefit from the new irrigation scheme."
Ato Mandefero Alemu, the head of five family memders and dweller of the same kebele, on his part explained that they have done arrangements to obtain long-lasting wealth and change their life permanently using Gerba irrigation scheme. He added that they have started to see the Glimmer of Hope.
On the other hand, Ato Belayeneh Alene farming and head of a family of six members and inhabitant of Gayeta kebele in Dangela district, Awi Administrative Zone underscored that he exerted his utmost efforts to cultivate 1.25 ha arable land using the upper Quwuasheni small scale irrigation scheme constructed by ORDA.
Ato Belayneh was requested to explain his livelihood status before the construction of the irrigation scheme. Accordingly, he replied that he was living in an old hut, could only feed his families once in a day time by producing Barley and potato once in a year using seasonal rain water. He terribly gets sick while remembering his past experiance before the construction of upper Quwuasheni schemes.
But today he said he has built corrugated iron sheet roofed house, managed to have two pairs of Oxen, produced horticulture including garlic, red onions, green paper, tomato, cabbage and carrot. Besides, he has planted permanent trees like Orange and Banana. Belayenh further added that he started to lead a good life and save ten thousand Ethiopian birr per annum.
According to his explanation, he has established the irrigation scheme beneficiaries' cooperative consisting of 179 (18 females) members which he has been serving as a chairperson. The scheme's cooperative has collected from its members and saved nine thousand Ethiopian birr this year as initial capital in an effort to strengthening their coops' and securing more benefits from the scheme.
It is indicated that 13 irrigation schemes are expected to irrigate over 1600 ha arable land and benefit around 32,500 people.