giz in afar, ethiopia
four short movies about efforts by the GIZ in afar, ethiopia, to diversify the livelihood of traditional pastoralists struggelinng with droughts and the loss of their pastures. activities by the GIZ include the introduction and the support of the so called water spreading weirs (WSW), the professional training of locals in masonry and the development of easy to build drystone measures.
camera and editing / kamera und schnitt: cHIka LuX
editing and postproduction / schnitt und postproduktion: sandra dollo
sound editing: brandon spivey
Masons by Profession
Former pastoralists are trained in masonary to construct and maintain water spreading weirs (WSW). WSWs are dams designed to reduce the runoff of water and erosion during sporadic flashfloods: Eroded soil and water are kept back in a river bed.
Saving Afar Soils
Drystone measures like small dams and retention walls control and reverse erosion in heavily degraded landscapes in Afar, Ethiopia. Combined with the water spreading weirs eroded soil and water are kept back, which improves the livelihood of the pastoral and agro-pastoral population.
Stone upon Stone: Water Spreading Weirs for Pastoralists
Water Spreading Weirs use floods to rehabilitate degraded landscapes and riverbeds. German Development Cooperation supports this innovative approach in Afar, Ethiopia.
two photosets on the same topics: