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Addis Ababa January 13/2013 The Ethiopian Sugar Corporation said construction of irrigation and other projects are being constructed for pastoralists living in the surrounding of the Omo Kuraz Sugar Factories Project being built in South Omo Zone of South Ethiopia Peoples' State.
Speaking at a relevant consultative forum held in Jinka Town of the State on Saturday, Public Mobilization Sector Deputy Director-General with the Corporation, Damene Darota said the projects being constructed in Salamago Woreda will benefit 1430 households in three villages.
Damene said construction of three schools, two health posts, two flour mills, three warehouses and a veterinary post, among others, has been undertaken for the pastoralists.
A water well dug for one of the villages has already gone operational while sinking of an additional water well is underway.
Some 2000 hectares land to be developed through irrigation is being distributed among the pastoralists, he said, adding, construction of 24km main irrigation canal is underway. The canal has capacity to develop 6000 hectares land.
The project will enable the pastoralists lead stable life, he said.
Pastoralists, clan leaders, urban dwellers and executives at all levels took part in the forum held since the end of last December with the aim to raising awareness on the benefits of the project among pastoralists in the areas and also stakeholders.
The sugar project will cultivate sugarcane on 175,000 hectares land. It will have three factories, each of which has capacity to crash 12,000 tons sugarcane a day.
It will also have two factories, each with a capacity to crash 24,000 tons sugarcane per day.
The Omo Kuraz Sugar Factories Project forms part of the government’s five-year Growth and Transformation Plan aiming to increase sugar production of the country.
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