Eritrea Is Receiving Heavy Rainfall
Heavy rainfall being reported in much of Eritrea.
According to the Department of Metrology, Eritrea has been receiving a substantial amount of rain since mid-July. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms have been reported in Asmara and its surrounding areas, with one thunderstorm last week even leaving an unusual amount of hail that covered the capital. In addition to Asmara and its environs, satisfactory rainfall has also been reported in southern parts of Gash-Barka Region (Eritrea's breadbasket), Southern and Central Regions.
Although the amount of precipitation measured thus far is still less than last year, Eritrea has been able to avoid any food and water insecurities by harnessing and storing rainwater through the construction of over 138 dams and micro-dams, and with 256 ponds that have the capacity of storing 50 million meter Quebec of water. These dams, along with introducing efficient agriculture techniques, water diversion schemes and modern agriculture equipment, have given Eritrean farmers the opportunity of being less reliant on sporadic rainfall and more resilient to reoccuring droughts.
Rainfall in Eritrea
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According to the Department of Metrology, Eritrea has been receiving a substantial amount of rain since mid-July. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms have been reported in Asmara and its surrounding areas, with one thunderstorm last week even leaving an unusual amount of hail that covered the capital. In addition to Asmara and its environs, satisfactory rainfall has also been reported in southern parts of Gash-Barka Region (Eritrea's breadbasket), Southern and Central Regions.
Although the amount of precipitation measured thus far is still less than last year, Eritrea has been able to avoid any food and water insecurities by harnessing and storing rainwater through the construction of over 138 dams and micro-dams, and with 256 ponds that have the capacity of storing 50 million meter Quebec of water. These dams, along with introducing efficient agriculture techniques, water diversion schemes and modern agriculture equipment, have given Eritrean farmers the opportunity of being less reliant on sporadic rainfall and more resilient to reoccuring droughts.
Rainfall in Eritrea
Rainfall in Eritrea ranges from 700-900 mm per annum (27-35 inches) in the Gash-Barka Region, especially around Gash-Setit area, to 500-700 mm per annum (19-27 inches) in the Central and Southern Regions, down to 200 mm per annum (7 inches) around Northern and Southern Red Sea Regions. Small areas within Eritrea's plateau, such as the town of Mrara, receive well over 1,000 nm per annum (39 inches).
The chart below shows Eritrea's food production for the last decade. The years of 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2008 were all poor harvests years due to drought/inadequate rainfall that was compounded with the border conflict, an underdeveloped agriculture infrastructure, and most of the farmers using outdated farming techniques. The years of 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2010 had good to satisfactory rains that resulted in bumper harvests. Although precipitation is likely to be lower in 2011 from that of 2010, Eritrea is in a position to meet its food production quota, as it has sufficient foods in stock from 2010's bumper harvest and enough funds set aside as safety net measures that will make Eritrea one of the few sub-Saharan African states to be food secure and free from the shackles of food aid. It is to be noted, during a 2007 visit to Eritrea, the UN special humanitarian envoy for the Horn of Africa, Mr. Kjell Magne Bondevik said to the AFP that food aid in Eritrea was "history for this country."
The chart below shows Eritrea's food production for the last decade. The years of 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2008 were all poor harvests years due to drought/inadequate rainfall that was compounded with the border conflict, an underdeveloped agriculture infrastructure, and most of the farmers using outdated farming techniques. The years of 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2010 had good to satisfactory rains that resulted in bumper harvests. Although precipitation is likely to be lower in 2011 from that of 2010, Eritrea is in a position to meet its food production quota, as it has sufficient foods in stock from 2010's bumper harvest and enough funds set aside as safety net measures that will make Eritrea one of the few sub-Saharan African states to be food secure and free from the shackles of food aid. It is to be noted, during a 2007 visit to Eritrea, the UN special humanitarian envoy for the Horn of Africa, Mr. Kjell Magne Bondevik said to the AFP that food aid in Eritrea was "history for this country."
| Year | Area (Ha) | Production (ton) |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 386,696 | 237,990 |
| 2002 | 393,267 | 64,290 |
| 2003 | 468,093 | 115,330 |
| 2004 | 421,969 | 89,254 |
| 2005 | 521,889 | 379,865 |
| 2006 | 539,969 | 431,549 |
| 2007 | 540,380 | 489,270 |
| 2008 | 437,155 | 109,078 |
| 2009 | 481,084 | 244,160 |
| 2010 | 482,844 | 420,654 ✓ |
| 2011 | TBA | TBA ✓ |
Source: Ministry of Agriculture
TBA = To Be Announced
✓ = A year Eritrea didn't receive any food aid
[Click on images to see larger quality]
TBA = To Be Announced
✓ = A year Eritrea didn't receive any food aid
[Click on images to see larger quality]
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| Heavy snow-like hailstorm blankets Asmara |
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| Newly constructed water pump in the Southern Region of Eritrea |
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| Annually rainfall in Eritrea |
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| Pound Reservoir in Gash-Barka Region |
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Eritrea Is Receiving Heavy Rainfall
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