The change in climate has become dramatic. After a short rain season end\nof 2018 with rainfall significantly below average, we were facing the impact of\ncyclon Idai, bringing drought in a time when we usually have very heavy and\nreliable rain. In fact, since 2 years the weather has become completely\nunreliable \u2013 periods of extreme rainfall are followed by unusual long periods\nof drought. Through this extended drought period, we had to go for manual\nirrigation with limited water. It was just enough to allow the crop to survive.\nBased on this we had to go for a solution of which we hadn\u00b4t expected that it would\nbe necessary for that region, that usually has enough rainfall all over the\nyear with the exception of a dry period between the end of December to the end\nof February \u2013 installation of a comprehensive irrigation system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The concept bases on the idea to use the rainwater during the dry season\nand collect it in large basins, to be on the safe side in a case the natural resources\nrun dry. Additionally, we had to drill a 175m deep borehole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary resource is a small river at which we built a small dam and\nfrom where we take some water to fill the basins during the rain season. The central\npoint is the large basin with a capacity of 5.000.000 litres, supported by\nsmaller basins close to the areas where the water is required with capacities\nbetween 500.000 and 1.000.000 litres. Besides this, we dug drainages to collect\nrainwater in the large basin. And last but not least if everything goes wrong\nwe dug a borehole to keep the plants at least alive if we face an extended dry\nperiod and all other sources run dry. The use of rainwater is not only the most\ncost-effective way but also a solution with the least impact on the\nenvironment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project is still in progress, but we hope that we can finish it before the dry season comes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n