The Grand River Valleys of Darfur

Each year during the rainy season, Darfur’s valleys flood with rushing water, a highly valuable but underused resource that could play a key role in fostering economic development and stability in the region.

By Emadeldin Rijal
 

Darfur’s seasonal rivers—the wadis—remain a signature aspect of the region’s stark landscape, and a foundation on which the social and economic lives of many of Darfur’s people are built. These seasonal resources sustain the region’s farmers and pastoralists, providing those living in the nearby lands with the water they need for farming and caring for their animals. In addition to supporting life in this region, the rushing waters provide relief from the heat of the desert and even entertainment for the children living near their shores.

Most of Darfur’s river valleys are fed by rainwater that flows from the Jebel Marra mountains, located in the heart of Darfur. The Jebel Marra mountain range climbs to an elevation of more than 3,000 metres at its highest points. The biggest valleys fed by the Jebel Marra rainstorms include the Kaja valley in West Darfur, the Berli and Bulbul valleys in South Darfur, and the Golo and Wadi Al-Kuo watersheds in North Darfur.

When the waters flow into the valleys, children gather to swim and enjoy some relief from the desert’s heat. While the seasonal rivers may provide entertainment for the children and young adults living nearby, the waters rushing from the mountains present a certain amount of danger. The currents of the seasonal rivers are strongest immediately following large rainstorms. Swimming against the raging currents of the Kaja river in West Darfur, for example, is regarded as an extreme test of endurance.

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Darfur’s seasonal rivers provide entertainment for the children and young adults living nearby. The currents of the seasonal rivers are strongest immediately following the largest rainstorms. Swimming against the currents of the Kaja river in West Darfur, for example, is regarded as an extreme test of endurance. Photo by Hamid Abdulsalam, UNAMID.