By Seth Niyogushima, Moïse Ndayiragije
Groundwater is water that exists underground in saturated zones beneath the land surface. It is a very essential natural resource and the main source of water for irrigation.
In Burundi, groundwater is the main water source that provides approximately 90% of the water supply in the country.
It facilitates farmers to get water every time as easily as possible instead of rainwater. Many farmers are satisfied with cultivating amaranth greens by using groundwater as it helps them in all seasons.
Amaranth greens are one of the basic, inexpensive, easy to cultivate and nutritious crops in Burundi and surrounding areas. Water stemming from groundwater plays a vital role in terms of irrigating plants in Burundi.
The growing importance of groundwater for agriculture can largely be explained by the capacity of groundwater to act as a reliable water source for irrigation. Providing water on demand while being largely unaffected by seasonal surface hydrological variation.
Many amaranth farmers are available in different areas in the country and have benefitted thanks to groundwater.
This story was produced as part of the InfoNile Science Communication Competition- 2022.
