adminSydney Kawadza Senior Features Writer
Living in arid and semi-arid areas has always had its challenges especially for humans.
The people living in Mudzi, a semi-arid district in Mashonaland East close to the border with Mozambique, have been forced to come up with innovative ways to make their lives as comfortable as they can.
However, the dry weather patterns that characterise their area has seen them fighting against perennial water challenges leading to poor yields from their fields.
And to counter the natural phenomenon, farmers in Mudzi North have had to push their leadership to push for the development of nutrition gardens for food sustenance and cash cropping.
This is the story of an oasis in the desert of Mudzi where farmers in areas near the Dendera Dam.
Established many years ago as the “Dendera Dam Rehabilitation with Gardening”, irrigation project has become a source of pride for local Member of the House of Assembly Cde Newton Kachepa.
The irrigation project which has brought food to the dry region has also provided the much-needed cash to farmers who have taken up the challenge for grow their crops all-year round.
“The nutrition gardens at Dendera Irrigation Scheme are assisting not only the people of Ward 2 but many others that rely on the scheme for food. We have been working with the villagers to source fencing material for the gardens,” Cde Kachepa said.
A member of the irrigation scheme, which has 66 members involved in horticulture, tree grafting, fisheries, bee-keeping and animal husbandry, Mr James Chipendo said the project had the potential to produce for district and beyond.
“Members have been supplying schools like Dendera High School while we have gone as far as Mt Darwin for batter trade because those areas cannot produce for themselves,” he said.
Mr Chipendo said there was, however, need for villagers engaged in activities in the scheme to educate themselves further and engage in the latest farming techniques.
“Our cropping calendar is flexible and we can maximise on this by diversifying our activities because such activities as tree grafting can be profitable. We are working ahead of the summer agricultural season and farmers should work on such activities as conservation agriculture to sustain or environment,” he said.
Another member, only identified as Jenifer, female member of the scheme said there was, however, need for people to start investing in machinery to increase production.
“At the moment we are using gravity for flood flooding but we need a pumping system for the irrigation to grow. The dam also needs regular rehabilitation because it is an important infrastructure for the whole district,” she said.
MP Kachepa, however, believes that his constituency has the potential to grow despite the harsh economic conditions.
He said the first challenge in the constituency was the fight against food shortages.
“The dry conditions in Mudzi makes it difficult for farmers to harvest enough food and when we get to the winter season there would be sporadic shortages of food and we, as the authorities, have to move quickly to make sure that the people have enough food,” he said.
Besides the nutrition gardens, Cde Kachepa said, the leadership has moved to increase poultry projects in the constituency.
“Food self-sustenance is essential and it is also captured well in Government’s ZimAsset policy document and we are working with the Zanu-PF provincial chairman Cde Ray Kaukonde who is supplying us with chicks for youth, women and individuals with potential for the success of the poultry projects,” he said.
Cde Kachepa who is in second term as the Mudzi North constituency lamented the withdrawal of the Community Development Fund.
“We had started a number of projects that have, however, been left incomplete after Government failed to provide us with the CDF but I think it is important that we work with our communities to work on various projects,” he said.
The constituency is currently preparing for the ground-breaking ceremony for Chori Clinic that would serve villagers in Karumba, Kachepa, Jaravanda, Jigu, Chigan’a, Makaza 1 and 2, Mujeyi, Kasere, Nyarongo, Chanetsa and Chikoko villages who had been travelling long distances for medical attention.
“We have already sourced cement, door and window frames while we would engage the community to provide bricks to build the clinic and accommodation for staff at the clinic. There is no way we can have people dying for lack of medication when we could build clinics for the communities,” he said.
The major problem however, Cde Kachepa said, was the dry conditions hence the need for boreholes and deep wells.
“We understand that our economy is struggling but we have mobilised resources to construct deep wells, with at least three deep wells for each village so that the water problems are mitigated,” he said.
The project has, as of now, seen the construction of 56 deep wells in a number of wards in the constituency.
Cde Kachepa is also working with his colleagues and the donor community for the construction of the Vombosi and Rukonde Dip Tanks.
However, the villagers have had serious transport challenges that have seen most bus operators leave the routes in the constituency.
Government has also failed to re-construct the Kudzwe River Bridge that was swept away by the incessant rains last year.
“We need funding for our projects and if you look at the case of the bridge at Kunzwe, we need to buy concrete pipes for the bridge but Government is struggling and these are some of the projects that have suffered from the withdrawal of the CDF.
“Our roads are very poor and we have difficulties for people in the constituency to travel. Conventional buses have abandoned our routes and the kombis that ply them are expensive for the people.
“Our people are afraid of travelling after falling victim to robbers who pounce on them when they are waiting for transport at night and this problem needs urgent attention,” he said.
Cde Kachepa also lamented the lack of development in the constituency when there are known gold deposits in the area.
“There are people who are holding on to gold concessions for speculative purposes when proceeds from the mines can be used for developing the province. The Mines and Mining Development Ministry to get back these concessions and let the people benefit from their resources,” he said.
Mudzi North constituency also borders with Mozambique and Cde Kachepa feels the porous borders have also been abused for smuggling although the security agents are working hard to close the loopholes.
“Our peoples between Zimbabwe and Mozambique share a lot including drought power but there are some landmines that still inhibit interaction between the communities,” he said.
Cde Kachepa appealed to Government to speed the de-mining campaigns along the border people have lost livestock and lives to the landmines.
According to the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Mudzi North constituency comprises of Nyamurapa, Kondo, Dendera, Kotwa, Goromonzi and the border town of Nyamapanda.
The constituency was created out of Mudzi West constituency and its people rely on subsistence farming and vegetable gardening for their livelihood.
The bulk of the vegetables are sold in Harare.
According to the latest census, Mudzi North has more than 50 000 people from at least 13 000 households.
There are eight secondary schools in the constituency with Dendera High School providing boarding facilities where girls account for 48 percent and boys 52 percent of the total enrolment.
The average pupil to teacher ratio stands at 1:26 which matches the ideal national average for secondary schools.
There are 13 health centres in Mudzi North with one district hospital, two surgeries and 10 clinics.
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