Lower Nile riparian countries’ hydro-dams suffer from sedimentation which cripples the efficiency of their dams. Greening programs of upper riparian countries is, therefore, a ticket to the longevity of service life of their dams.
For the last consecutive years, Ethiopia put lots of efforts to watershed development works and planted billions of seedlings, most of the trees have now contributed to the protection of the country’s environment.
In an interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO) hinted the benefits of the ongoing National Greening Program.
To ENTRO’s Executive Director Fekeahmed Negash, Sudan, South Sudan, and Egypt would benefit out of the current effort.
Among Nile basin countries, Ethiopia contributes the largest share of water, over 86 percent, and the current effort, when it comes to fruition, is likely to increase the volume of water along the River Nile, he said.
“The sediment from Ethiopia has the potential to fill the dams of lower Nile basin countries.
This reduces the water holding capacity of the dams; causes water pollution and they spend much money to clean the water; and also it decreases their fish resources,” he stated.
The effort is likely to increase the water volume along the Nile course, and catalase the development of the basin countries.
He also went on saying that efforts towards environmental protection will have social and economic benefits as it controls flooding, reduces sedimentation, regulates the flow of the water, uplifts energy production in addition to encouraging navigation and fishery.
This is in addition to the benefit the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam would give to downstream countries.
As experts already ascertained the Dam, when sees completion, reduces silt and sedimentation to downstream countries of Nile.
Yet, the Dam is likely to ensure a regulated flow of water in the Nile course. This is a blessing, particularly to Sudan as it avoids the recurrent flooding.
This year alone, Ethiopia transplants young trees across its length and breadth. Around 4.7 billion saplings will take roots. And dry season care to the saplings has already been planned. The Ministry of Agriculture, jointly with other ministries, announced a plan to follow up the trees’ growth with the assistance of GIS.
The efforts challenge a BBC article Death of the Nile. A quote from the article reads:
“When it does rain, the storms are often fiercer, washing over a billion tons of Ethiopian sediment into the Nile each year, which clogs dams and deprives farmers of much-needed soil nutrients.
“Population growth has fuelled this phenomenon, as expanding families fell trees to free up more space and provide construction materials. Monster floods have also become much more common.
“As crops wither and food prices soar, many rural communities, who have historically relied on steady rains rather than rivers to irrigate their land, have been pitched even deeper into desperate poverty.”
The ongoing national greening program is, therefore, to improve the climate at the headwater of the Nile that contributes over 86 percent of the waters of Nile. It, thus, ensures sustainable and mutual development of Nile Riparian countries. The lesson ought to be emulated by other countries of Nile Basin.
The Ethiopian Herald July 12/2019
BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
