International reports confirm that the scarcity of resources and climate change is the most important crisis faced by various countries of the world. The rapid increase in the population of the world leads to the decline of arable land, and according to that, citizens must rationalize water use and preserve the environment for sustainable development.
Dams Implementation Unit implemented, during the period from 2010 until now several programs in the field of water harvesting in North Kordofan State and then in all the states of Sudan, in addition to the implementation of the President's program for water harvesting in the administrative of Abyei, and the unit has recently started on the implementation of Zero thirst plan under the umbrella of the Ministry of Water Resources, Irrigation and electricity, which aims to reach integrated solutions to the problems of drinking water in the countryside and cities.
The said unit affirmed that the Presidency relies on the project of Zero Thirst  to solve the problem thirst  in some parts of Sudan, where the projects aims to provide water sources through digging of wells, establishment of dams, and water harvesting.

Aims of Water Harvesting Projects

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Moataz Mousa said that Sudan reviewed  its strategic plan until 2031, where 50% of it was implemented through establishment of dams, and other projects of water harvesting at a cost of $ 7 billion.

Government Commitment 
 
The government of Sudan affirmed the importance of water in sustainable development and in elimination poverty and hunger, insuring on connection between water, energy, food security and nutrition. Water experts see that Zero Thirst project put Sudan in the right direction to benefit from water resources.
Engineer Mustafa Ahmed Abdul Rahim, Water Harvesting General Directorate of Dams Implementation Unit, said that said that the implantation of Zero Thirst at Sennar State goes according to the plan, indicating that the year of 2016 witnessed digging of 4 wells, while 2017 witnessed digging of 14 solar powered wells and that the work is currently going on to implement a number of projects during this year incompletion of water projects  that implemented by the said unit, saying that  the selection of projects is based on proposals submitted by the state after matching them with Water Atlas.
Consultant of the program of water harvesting in Sennar State, Ahmed Mohamed  said that the excavation works carried out by the National Drilling and Investment Company, as well as the manufacture of water equipment and installation of tanks.

UN Efforts

The General Assembly of the United Nations announced the launch of the International Decade for Action for Water between 2018 and 2028, with the aim of accelerating efforts to address the water challenges. The Decade coincided with World Water Day on 22 March 2018 and ends on March 22, 2028
The Decade focuses on sustainable development and integrated water resource management for the achievement of social, economic and environmental objectives and on the implementation and promotion of relevant programs and projects, as well as on strengthening cooperation and partnership at all levels to help achieve the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including goals of Sustainable Development Plan of 2030.
The Decade highlights the importance of enhancing water use efficiency at all levels, taking into account the interdependence of water, food, energy and environment, and stresses the importance of full participation of all relevant stakeholders, including women, children, youth, elderly, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and local communities
Targeted States
Dams Implementation Unit confirmed that all projects are ready in terms of water supply. However, some states should maintain their projects by following up, maintaining and providing lines and installing water networks in areas of need.

Water gap

Dams Implementation Unit implemented a number of projects related to the harvesting of water, wells and (Haffers) in a number of localities and villages in North Kordofan State.
Eng. Siddiq Al Nour, Director of the General Directorate of Water Harvesting, said that the work of water harvesting projects started in 2009 with (Hafeers) program in a number of localities. He stressed that the said unit exerted great efforts in providing water in the countryside, which had a great effect in reducing the water gap there through solar technology.

Full Coordination

Director of Water Harvesting in North Kordofan, Hassabo Fadlallah pointed to the coordination between the Water Harvesting Unit and the Ministry of Water in the state, pointing out that the Dams Implementation Unit has played its full role in providing water resources in areas that have been defied by the state, but the main problem in North Kordofan remains the management of water projects after its receiving from unit.

The Unit's Approach in Implementing Water Harvesting Projects

The unit determines the quota of each state of (Haffeers) and dams according to the approved plan and the budget available for each year, while the states specify the water harvesting projects to be implemented for the livestock or animal. The unit provides the funding and supervising the implementation. The state delivers the sites free of barriers and securing during the period of study and implementation. The unit implements the projects by contracting with consultants and contractors to carry out surveys, studies, designs, implementation and supervision works. The unit handed the projects to the state under a protocol that includes handing of installations, final drawings, operation methods and maintenance by training a competent staff of the relevant state

Achievements

741 projects were implemented in the period from 2010 to 2016 distributed in all the states of the Sudan and include dams, (Hafeers) and wells, where 125.5 million cubic meters of rain water was harvested in addition to a number of other water services projects
Hafeers: A total of 448 ones were implemented with a total capacity of 25.15 million cubic meters
Dams: 28 dams (17 new and 11 as rehabilitation) were implemented with a total capacity of 89.175 million meter
Wells: 277 wells were implemented

Remarkable Progress

Dams Implementation Unit revealed the progress of the plan of the water harvesting program to Zero Thirst through the efforts of the program enforcement officials, where the engineer Ammar Ali affirmed digging of 200 wells under the plan implemented for the year 2017, in addition to the completion of the installation of 195 stations, while the work is in advanced stages in the installation of 25 stations and implementation of 11 wells, while the geophysical studies completed for 240 wells, pointing out to the rehabilitation of five dams by 100% and the implementation of 28 (Hafeers) in a number of states, stressing the need to establish workshops and seminars on how to manage facilities of harvesting and preserving water along with awareness on the importance of projects in all states.

Eastern Sudan

The Red Sea State confirmed the active contribution of water harvesting projects in supporting the water situation in the state, especially at the level of localities and rural areas.
Eng. Ibrahim Hassan, General Authority for Water, said that the state was handed the water line extending from Hindub Dam to the city of Sawakin,  length of 14 km, besides water line extending from Mouj Dam to the city of Port Sudan to feed the southern regions of the state, saying that the projects implemented by the Dams Implementation Unit included dams and (Hafeers) with large capacities that exceeded the storage rates of 27 million cubic meters, pointing out that the city of Port Sudan needs water exceeded 200 thousand cubic meters / day.
For his part, Eng. Salahuddin Al-Awad, resident engineer for water harvesting projects, revealed the delivery of Wadi Arous Dam site, which works to store 8 million cubic meters of water, adding that the dam will provide water to the city of Port Sudan, besides 12 wells to be implemented during the year.
It is worth mentioning that the Dams Implementation Unit  (DIU) is continuing to implement the water harvesting program, which aims to provide drinking water in all the states of the country to reach Zero Thirst by the end of 2020.