The Akanyaru project is part of the Nile River Basin investment programme—a joint initiative of Rwanda and Burundi.

The project seeks to construct a dam near Akanyaru River with capacity to produce some 333 million cubic metres of water for irrigation to serve 846,000 people.

It also seeks to supply potable water to 614,200 people in Burundi and Rwanda and to build a dam to irrigate 12,474 hectares of farmlands in both countries. The project is also expected to generate 14.5MW of hydro-electric power, which will power 141,111 homes.

Read more: The New Times