Lubango – Six dams will be built this year in the municipalities of Caconda, Caluquembe, Chicomba, Chibia, Gambos and Humpata, in the province of Huíla, to irrigate 300 agricultural hectares, within the framework of the Program for Strengthening Resilience and Food Security and Nutritional (FRESAN).
This is a project valued at 387.641.228Kz ($464.797), divided into three lots, the 1st being valued at 123.213.859,65Kz ($147.738) kwanzas and envisaging the construction of water irrigation systems in the town of Caculuvar (Gambos) and in Jau (Chibia).
The 2nd is 131.044.385,97 kwanzas ($157.127), and includes the dam in the towns of Caholo (Humpata) and Giraúl (Caluquembe), while the third involves the construction of those in Chandamba (Chicomba) and Waba (Caconda), at a fixed value of 133.382.982,46Kz ($159.932).
As a result of the aforementioned works, a public tender was launched last January for the design of such infrastructures in the province of Cunene, which will include 10 small dams in six municipalities, valued at more than 388.000.000 kwanzas ($465.228).
When speaking about the initiative, the FRASAN's deputy coordinator in Huíla, Adalberto Chiquete, stated that the objective is to irrigate at least 300 hectares of peasant families, minimize the impact of drought on the crops produced and increase the sustainability of the beneficiaries.
He also stated that projects initiated by several FRESAN implementation partners are being consolidated, as 75% of them defined for 10 of the 14 municipalities in the province have already been completed and handed over to the communities.
In Huíla, according to the source, the Food and Nutritional Security Strengthening Program is implemented in 10 municipalities, with subsidized and direct implementation projects, which aim to reach close to 900.000 people.
FRESAN aims to contribute to reducing hunger, poverty and vulnerability to food and nutritional insecurity in the southern provinces of the country most affected by climate change, namely Huíla, Cunene and Namibe.
Funded by the European Union, the program is partially co-managed by Camões Institute, I.P., the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Vall d'Hebron.
It focuses on strengthening sustainable family farming, improving the nutritional situation of the population, access to water, adapting to climate change, strengthening information systems on food and nutritional security, and supporting capacity development in institutions. MS/MS/CF/DOJ
