Conflict over Nile water – Africa’s largest dam arouses fears among Nile farmers – News


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Ethiopia put its new dam on the Blue Nile into operation at the end of February. A milestone for the country. The Nile states on the lower reaches – Sudan and Egypt – fears arise: Their agriculture is dependent on the Nile water. But Ethiopia refuses to be talked to.

First there is coffee – as is so often the case in Sudan. A group of farmers sit in the shade of a mango tree. Older men in long white robes. The Blue Nile passes just a few meters away. Ethiopia’s dam on the upper reaches of the river is a constant issue among farmers. The water is their livelihood.

Legend:

While groundwater is being drilled in front, the Nile farmers in the background are discussing the water supply. The Ethiopian dam worries them.

Samuel Burri/SRF

Actually, there is no work on Friday in Sudan. But today it’s different – because farmer Ali Elsadiq has ordered a truck with a drilling rig. This will allow him to tap into the groundwater in the future.

Married to the Nile

Discussions and concerns are omnipresent. One is practically married to the river, explains farmer Adam Zahir: “It’s more than a marriage, we spend our whole lives here, up to 15 hours a day. With the trees and cows.”

Divorce, on the other hand, is not possible. You can change the woman, but not the river, says Zahir. Laughter erupts on a serious subject.

“Sudan depends on Ethiopia’s goodwill”


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SRF News: There are major concerns in Sudan about the new dam – what is Ethiopia’s response?
Samuel Burri: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said when the dam was commissioned: “As you can see, the water continues to flow to Sudan and Egypt.” Ethiopia says the dam will make little difference to water flow. But the problem is: there is no agreement between Ethiopia and Sudan on how the water of the Blue Nile is regulated, for example in the event of heavy rainfall or drought. So Sudan and Egypt depend on Ethiopia’s goodwill.

How important is this dam mega project for Ethiopia?
When the dam is finished, it will have the capacity to produce five gigawatts of electricity – this corresponds to five times the output of the Gösgen nuclear power plant. The costs are also immense, amounting to around four billion Swiss francs, which accounts for a third of Ethiopia’s state budget. Ethiopia has not received any help from other countries.

How could Ethiopia bear these costs?
All state employees had to contribute one month’s wages. In addition, all Ethiopians could buy share certificates – there were big campaigns for this in the diaspora as well.
In war-torn Ethiopia, the dam is probably the only topic of national relevance that everyone is united behind.

 

There have already been various mediation attempts between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. Is an agreement possible?
The positions have hardened and an agreement is not in sight. But it would be good, because various conflicts are already smoldering in the Horn of Africa region. The dispute over the water of the Nile causes further unrest.

An unpredictable lifeline

Two-thirds of Sudan’s irrigated agriculture is here on the Blue Nile. Onions, tomatoes, okra grow in the fields near the town of Wad Madani. In between mangoes, bananas and oranges, in the flat hinterland millet and sesame also thrive.

Ethiopia’s new dam is also causing sleepless nights for farmer Ali Elsadiq: “Of course I’m scared, because if the amount of water decreases, it will affect us all.” Hence the new borehole. The final preparations for starting the pump are underway. So Sadiq could also irrigate when the Nile is low in water.

The Nile farmers drill a hole down to the groundwater.

Legend:

Nile farmer Ali Elsadiq is worried: he had a hole drilled down to the groundwater – he wants to be prepared in case the Nile dries up.

Samuel Burri/SRF

In addition to pump irrigation, the main focus in Sudan is on the annually recurring natural floods. But then whole areas are flooded. The flood is both a curse and a blessing. Farmer Zahir explains that a friend of his lost 2,500 lemon trees in the last flood. At the same time, the sediments in the water make the land fertile.

A farmer rides his donkey across the Nile.

Legend:

At 6,670 kilometers, the Nile is the longest river in the world – with its floods it is unpredictable.

Samuel Burri/SRF

The Blue Nile has always been unpredictable. With the new dam in Ethiopia, this unpredictability could increase – fears on the lower reaches. That is why Sudan and Egypt are demanding a binding agreement with Ethiopia on the use of Nile water. But Ethiopia doesn’t want to.

Late in the afternoon, Elsadiq’s field suddenly starts buzzing. The electric pump has started. Suddenly, water shoots out of the borehole. The old men jump up, pick up their heels. They direct the water into the canal system between the vegetable beds.

Nile farmers direct the groundwater into the canal system.

Legend:

The Nile farmers direct the water over their fields with a canal system.

Samuel Burri/SRF

The men in their white robes open a sluice here and close another. Now they still work on Fridays. And the coffee under the mango tree is getting cold.

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