The construction of 450 meters of nature-based seawall for the village of Namatakula has begun, which would benefit about 300 villagers and a primary school.
The seawall will protect close to 60 households in the village from coastal flooding, coastal erosion, and infrastructure damage.
The Ministry of Waterways will oversee the project with a grant of $38,139 from the British High Commission.
While officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony, Minister for Waterways, Environment and Agriculture, Dr Mahendra Reddy says the nature-based eco-friendly seawall would address concerns for the village.
He says the project is a significant initiative for coastal erosion management and environmental rehabilitation using a nature-based solution.
Environmental rehabilitation involves restoring the degraded landscape, with natural features of the locality, and returning it to its original diversity.
British High Commission’s Head of Network Strategy and Operations Tim Hanson says the objective of the project is to reduce the vulnerability of the Namatakula site to coastal inundation and erosion.
Village headman, Josevata Nagasaukula says during high tide, especially during the cyclone season, most of the villagers had to evacuate their houses and seek shelter somewhere else because of the threat of coastal erosion and flooding.
He has thanked the Government for the construction of the seawall that will not only protect the village but will also secure their land.
