Combatting Drought on the Dubrava Plateau
03 October 2003
 Areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(BiH) have been subject to extremely dry weather conditions this summer raising fears that already vulnerable communities will become further disadvantaged by this
latest set back. The drought has had a severe impact on the south of BiH (see photo right) and water sources have completely dried up in places. Areas that have been badly hit include
Cantons 6 and 7 and the south eastern part of the Republika Srpska. UMCOR is assisting communities affected by the drought in Stolac and Capljina Municipalities (or
the Dubrava Plateau) and is working on a proposal to improve irrigation in the region. Minority Bosniaks and Serbs have been successfully returning to the area since
1999. Today, it is important to ensure that these returns are sustained by assisting returnee households to increase their income generation opportunities. As there is
little chance of securing employment, returnees rely primarily on agricultural production with an average income of 150KM (or approximately $75) per person per month. If the harvest
is unsuccessful as a result of poor rainfall, returnees will be left with little or no income and the long-term sustainability of their return will be threatened.
Even existing agricultural production requires an increase in irrigation, in what is generally an arid climate. If the amount of irrigation water available is
increased, there will be more opportunities for producers to expand their production and generate income. The more crops are produced, the more money is generated and
the more the economy of the area will grow and prosper, leading to more people wanting to return.
 The project involves contracting and financing the work for the
drilling of 20 new bore holes (see photo left). These will be on average 50 metres deep, producing approximately 0.6 litres of irrigation water per second per bore
hole. When completed,
UMCOR BiH will also help beneficiaries to manage the water resources effectively through maintenance, fair distribution and so on. The
Dubrava region is well known for its fertile soil and good climatic conditions, once producing and selling large quantities of fruit and vegetable
within former
Yugoslavia. Although the market is much reduced as a consequence of the break-up of the country and the war, the region is still producing quality crops. By increasing
the availability of irrigation water, UMCOR BiH aims to increase the income generating opportunities of the returnee communities, with the long-term goal of bringing
prosperity back to the Dubrava Plateau. |
