Ruaha river

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Nature, through its Ruaha Water Programme (RWP), has donated 88 gumboots and three tape measures to the water user associations (WUA) in Mufindi District, Iringa Region.

Three associations were given the working gear to enable them make efficient follow-ups and monitoring of activities taking place near water sources and river banks.

The donation was handed over yesterday by Ruaha Water Programme Finance and Administrative Officer David Sarakikya to Programme Coordinator in Mufindi District Petro Masolwa.

WUA leaders and members who were given the gear were from Mkewe, Lyandembera-Lower and Lyandembera-Upper river catchment areas.

Sarakikya said Mkewe WUA received 18 gumboots and one tape measure; Lyandembera-Lower got 40 gumboots and a tape measure and Lyandembera-Upper got 30 gumboots and a tape measure.

“The working gear will enable the three water user associations to work efficiently during follow-ups and monitoring of activities, such as illegal farming near water sources, and measuring distances away from water sources and river banks,” he noted.

Last March WWF donated 41 bicycles and three motorbikes to the same associations in order to facilitate coordination of activities by their leaders.

The donations were part of efforts to restore all-year-round flow of the Great Ruaha River (GRR) through an integrated water resource management.

WWF is implementing a sustainable water management programme to help better the lives of people living in the programme pilot areas.

There have in the past been conflicts among water users of GRR, especially rice farmers, due to unsustainable water management which saw the river dry up.

The WUAs were trained in water irrigation, law, policy and conservation to make sure that the Great Ruaha River flows throughout the year.