Ethiopia: Gidabo irrigation dam to benefit 10,000 farmers, 192,000 youth job seekers

The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed has inaugurated Gidabo irrigation dam, which is capable to irrigate more than 13,400 hectares of land in Oromia and Southern regions of the country.

Built at a cost of birr 1.26 billion, Gidabo irrigation dam has gone operational. The dam said to have 25.8 meters of height and 335 meters length is expected to develop over 13, 425 hectares of land and make 10, 000 farmers' beneficiaries and creating job opportunity for over 192,000 youth, All Africa reported.

The construction of Gidabo irrigation dam (on Gidabo River) was commenced in 2010 with an initial investment plan of birr 258 million. But due to various changes in the project and its design, the work is said to be delayed. However, the dam project will enhance the social and economic interaction of the people of Oromia Region and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region.

According to Abiy Ahmed, the dam promotes tourism, fishery and helps to conserve natural environment of the regions including agro-ecology, whereas over 10,000 farmers and more than 192,000 youth job seekers will be benefited from the new irrigation scheme. He stressed that his government will continue its efforts to create peaceful and prosperous Ethiopia through constructing similar projects across the country.