March 31, 2017
Dihitar Irrigation Project is completed last month. The project provides irrigation for nine hectares land that belongs to 42 households (244 people) in a small village called Dihitar in the Chitwan district – southern region of Nepal.
The people in this village mainly earn their living in agriculture, and the infrastructure in this area is basic. Because of climate change, the water supply necessary for agriculture became insufficient. The lack of water is a threat to the inhabitants of the village. Therefore the Unica Foundation contributed to an irrigation project by using solar panels for the electricity supply of the water pumps. Shanta Griha, our local Nepalese partner, developed and managed the project.
The locals in Dihitar made a huge contribution to this project by providing labour and other resources.
Two researchers in the field
Astrid Berndsen and Esmee van Eeden, two students from Wageningen University, arrived last week in Dihitar to conduct research. The research focuses on ‘Exploring possibilities for economic development in respect of the irrigation scheme in Dihitar’ and ‘Accessing impact of the improved irrigation system on the food security in Dihitar, Nepal’. They will also look for other crops that could grow successfully in this area.
The report of their research will be very useful for Unica Foundation and its local partners. It evaluates the success of such projects and the recommendations can be used in future projects.
President of Unica Foundation, Mr. Daan van Vliet, is scheduled to visit the Dihitar project during his trip to Nepal in April 2017.
