PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The rationale of the project and the problem statement
The change of the course of rivers or streams has become a serious problem to be addressed as soon as possible,
Eswatini has 12 bigger rivers of 2,647.63 kilometers of distance which are Mlumati, Mnjoli dam, Komoti, Mbuluzi, Mbuluzane, Myetroc, Mtimphoh, Umpuluti, Lusuthu, Ngwempisi, Mkondvo, Ngwavuma and many streams.
Due to the change of the course of rivers or streams, a lot of damages are observed especially infrastructures such roads and bridges in some areas, again to list a few among the problems caused by the change of the course of rivers/streams: Land degradation, loss of biodiversity, all this led to the economic impact.
Hence People Together Organization intends to handspringing a solution of that problem.
Planting 770,992 bamboo trees along the 12 bigger rivers banks 500,000 bamboo trees to the streams and 200,000 for forests and for restoring gullies around the country in 5 years. Means the organization will have to request a 1ha for making a nursery in each region and irrigate it so that each year we can produce 320,000 shoots to be transplant transplanted. This will be an ultimate solution because bamboo trees prevent soil erosion and restore degraded land means it can help too to the gullies around the country, Bamboo is a great tool for soil protection due to its rapid growth, permanent canopy and huge network of roots and rhizomes.
Again Bamboo acts as a reservoir by collecting and storing large amounts of water in its rhizomes and stems during rainy season, and returning water to the soil, rivers and streams during droughts.
Objectives
Overall Objective:
To protect by preventing the change of course of rivers and streams in restoring degraded land in planting bamboo trees throughout Eswatini.
Specific Objectives:
- To raise awareness of soil erosions and importance of planting bamboo trees in controlling the change of course of rivers, streams and degradation of agricultural lands and river banks;
- To restore the ecological balance of the affected areas by stabilizing the soil and promoting the growth of vegetation;
- To mobilize community members, associations and cooperatives of agriculture and handcraft in participation and ownership of effective control of degradation of agricultural lands in monitoring an evaluating the impact of planting bamboo trees especially to the river banks, streams and deteriorated lands (gullies)