[June 11, 2026] – WLRC, under its BRIGHT Project, officially launched the expansion of the Wedecha River Pickup Weir following a site handover ceremony conducted between the general contractor, Tadesse Benti, and WLRC. The project, which will be implemented at a cost of over ETB 34 million, is expected to expand irrigation services to more than 1,500 hectares of agricultural land in Bu’i Dhangaggoo Kebele of Gumbichu District, as well as Kataba and Godino Kebeles in Adea District.
The site handover ceremony was attended by representatives from district administrations and sector offices, including Mr. Ketema Weldu, Adea and Gumbichu Deputy Administrations; Mr. Abbush Arrage, Head of the Agriculture and Land Office; and Mr. Buzayehu Haile, Administrator of Bu’i Dhangaggoo Kebele, along with other stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Deribew Shanko, Technical Coordinator of the Wedecha catchment under the BRIGHT Project, stated that the construction works are scheduled to be completed soon and that the project will significantly improve irrigation access and enhance agricultural productivity in the area.
In a related watershed management initiative, community members in the Wedecha Catchment of Ada’a Woreda have begun preparing planting pits for seedlings at the Gewa and Harewa sites. The activity, carried out on June 14, 2026, is designed to strengthen previously implemented physical soil and water conservation measures through biological rehabilitation interventions. A total of 213 community members from the Godino Jitu, Gaara Gowaa, and Harewa areas participated in the campaign, demonstrating strong local engagement in sustainable land and water resource management.