On the night of 14/15 March 2019 tropical cyclone “Idai” hit Mozambique flooding the country and destroying the crops on more than 700 000 hectares of farmland. Infrastructure for drinking water is severely damaged. Hunger threatens the local population. Volkshilfe supports the reconstruction of water supply and agriculture.

A large number of boreholes have been damaged and/or polluted, dramatically limiting the possibilities for personal hygiene. Also, waste disposal gives rise to concern. The destruction of water and sewage disposal systems has created conditions conductive to the spread of diseases like Cholera.

In the middle of the annual harvesting season more than 715 000 hectares of cultivated plants have been damaged. Added to this are substantial losses in fisheries as well as of livestock. People in Mozambique are in acute risk of famine!

Water Supply and Rehabilitation of Agriculture

Volkshilfe‘s partner organisation Solidar Suisse has strengthened its Mozambican work team with qualified emergency assistance, water and sanitation specialists. Together, we help with …

• emergency water supply to provide clean drinking water for displaced persons housed in shelters
• construction of sanitary installations (toilettes, washing and bathing facilities) to reduce the risk of disease transmission
• cleaning and reparation of wells. Over the coming months, we intend to clean and restore up to 250 wells to ensure access to clean drinking water for up to 60 000 persons
• distribution of toiletries to families and households in need

The targeted reconstruction of agriculture generates food security. We support up to 6 000 farming families who have lost their entire crop with seeds and agricultural tools. This measure allows for new and prompt planting and for harvesting already in August.