Regional irrigation project 'will help nearly 850,000'

6 November 2009

A new irrigation project to be constructed in the Bugesera region of Rwanda is expected to help some 834,000 people when it is completed.

The African Development Bank is funding this endeavour with a grant of $23 million (£13.9 million).

It is intended to help increase crop production and help the population overcome the effects of droughts when it is completed in six years' time, it was reported by All Africa's in-house reporters.

The Rwandan minister of finance James Musoni asserted the project would improve conditions for the entire country.

"Agriculture has and will continue to play an important role in the development of the country through ... modernisation of exports, infrastructure development, curbing of inflation and general budget support," he explained.

The usually fertile Bugesera region also spills into Burundi and the African Development Bank has earmarked an extra $23 million to be administered by that nation's government.

Tunis and Kenya are two other countries to have received grants from the finance body to improve their water infrastructure this week.

Category: Water