August 17, 2025
How Eritrea is transforming dusty plains into misty dams
Africa Press Agency (APA) | In villages across Eritrea’s dry interior, change is quietly flowing. Where seasonal rivers once surged and vanished without trace, hand-built dams now hold back precious water. Irrigation canals feed crops even in dry months. One of the Horn of Africa’s most drought-prone countries, has adopted a straightforward approach to tackling water scarcity, building dams—many of them small, masonry structures—using local materials and community labour. Backed by technical assistance and concessional funding from the African Development Bank, the country has constructed or rehabilitated over 880 dams, most in rural and underserved areas. As a result, communities long dependent on erratic rainfall are now looking to the future with renewed confidence and excitement.
