visited the area, met with tribal leaders, and worked together to develop solutions for the area. The original plan was to use a small scale solar powered system to irrigate a 7 acre plot of land. The success of this pilot project proved that the project could be scaled up to a larger size. After a quick transformation on the small scale, the team immediately made adjustments. The current plan is to support a 50+ acre community farm along the banks of the Omo River using this solar powered irrigation solution. In order to irrigate the community farm, a floating submersible water pump will draw water from the river to fill the irrigation channels. In order for this system to function properly, engineers must first level the land, establish irrigation channels, ensure proper installation of the solar water pump, and provide training on proper system use. Such a system will allow the tribes in the region to return to planting their traditional crops such as sorghum. While there is a high capital cost associated with installing a solar pump irrigation system, the operating costs are nearly zero. This makes it an ideal solution for the tribes in the area. The team at Miyamoto Global Disaster Relief is currently seeking donations for the project. If you are interested in contributing to this project, please click here . About Miyamoto International Miyamoto International is a global structural engineering and disaster- risk reduction firm providing resiliency expertise that sustains indus - tries and safeguards communities around the world.
LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.
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