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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter
Another 10 irrigation schemes are set for commissioning in the second quarter after a batch of eight slated for April and May as President Mnangagwa’s initiative to transform rural villages into vibrant greenbelts advances rapidly.
The first eight schemes to be commissioned are in four provinces with 1 700 households expected to benefit from the 857ha they cover.
This is part of Government’s efforts to climate-proof the country’s agriculture and ensure food security, as the country moves towards becoming a net exporter of agricultural produce in the region.
While the adoption of irrigation is inspired by the need to combat adverse effects of climate change, it will also help farmers diversify their farming operations and allow them to grow crops all year round rather than just seasonally.
Portlet Irrigation Scheme in Mashonaland West will cover 80ha and benefit 160 households while Katsvenzve in the same province will sit on 60ha and benefit 120 households.
Four irrigation schemes in Masvingo will be also commissioned. Lowlands Irrigation Scheme will benefit 80 households from its 40ha, Nyika Irrigation Scheme will benefit 36 households from 18ha, Mushandike Irrigation Scheme will benefit 108 households from its 54ha while Pikinini Tawanda Irrigation will cover 312 households from 156ha.
In Mashonaland Central, Maparo Irrigation Scheme will benefit 430 households from 215ha while in Midlands Mambanjeni Irrigation Scheme will benefit 178 households from 89ha.
Mambale Irrigation Scheme in Matabeleland South will benefit 110 households from 55ha while Bambanani Irrigation Scheme in the same province will support 180 households from 90ha.
In a recent interview, irrigation development director with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Engineer Bezzel Chitsungo said Government was committed to ensuring that irrigation schemes remained functional to fight the effects of climate change.
“Government will ensure that irrigation schemes produce sustainably and serve as income generating projects. We are pushing to empower farmers. Many have acquired wealth through irrigation. You can produce crops twice or more a year and make maximum profits,” he said
Government is targeting 460 irrigation schemes for maize as efforts to improve agricultural production are escalated to mitigate effects of climate change.
About 90 000ha of potential irrigable land have also been identified for maize when the Government scaled up efforts to boost food production in the face of and El Nino season.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri emphasised the need to develop more irrigation around the huge water bodies that are in the country.
Zimbabweans approve Government’s commitment to improving irrigation schemes saying this would improve their lives.
Youthful farmer Mr Joshua Vambe of Zvimba said irrigation would go a long way in addressing food insecurity and enabling them to adequately provide food for families and send children to school.
“This is an amazing project. It will enable us to produce various crops and generate incomes that will allow us to send our children to school. We are going to grow crops that are on demand and earn lots of money,’’ he said.
Another Zvimba resident Mrs Elizabeth Chiweshe said irrigation schemes would economically empower women and liberate them from total dependency on men.
“Women can grow crops for sale. What they earn will add to their husbands’ incomes hence chances of gender based violence are minimised. It’s not easy to rely on husbands entirely so we urge other women to participate in irrigation farming to boost food security for our families and the nation at large,’’ she said.
A third Zvimba resident, Mr Amos Bube said the majority of people relied on farming, adding that the irrigation would totally transform their livelihoods.
“We can do all year round crop farming to fully use the facilities. This will ensure the that we feed our families and sell the surplus,’’ he said.
The Second Republic is on a drive to rehabilitate dams and construct new ones as part of efforts to avoid relying on rain fed agriculture and make the transition from dry land farming to irrigation smooth without creating food deficits.
This is meant to achieve an upper middle income economy by 2030 in line with the National Development Strategy 1 economic blueprint.
This season the Government is intending to increase the area under irrigation by rehabilitating non-functional irrigation schemes, as part of efforts to improve agricultural production to mitigate effects of climate change.
Online Reporter
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