Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
A WAVE of thefts targeting aluminium irrigation pipes has left farmers in Middle Sabi struggling to sustain agricultural production, amid reports that the stolen equipment is being melted down and turned into kitchen utensils for resale.
The theft syndicates, allegedly operating at night and armed with machetes, knobkerries and catapults, have reportedly attacked security guards and farmers who attempt to stop them, raising fears over the safety of farming communities in the area.
Middle Sabi Stage 3A Farmers Association chairperson, Mr Themba Thodhlana said the escalating thefts were threatening livelihoods and undermining productivity in one of province’s key farming zones.
Mr Thodhlana said criminals are targeting irrigation infrastructure at a time when farmers are already grappling with rising production costs and the effects of climate change.
“Farmers are waking up to find entire irrigation lines missing overnight. These aluminium pipes are essential for crop production, but thieves are stealing them and selling them for a fraction of their value. The situation has become dangerous because these groups operate in large numbers and are armed. Farmers and security guards who try to intervene risk serious injury,” said Mr Thodhlana, adding that several security guards had been assaulted during recent incidents, with one victim reportedly losing an eye after confronting the suspects.
He argued that about 80 percent of farmers in Middle Sabi had lost aluminium irrigation pipes to thieves, leaving many unable to irrigate their crops effectively.
“The majority of our farmers have been affected. Without irrigation infrastructure, production declines and incomes fall. Some farmers are considering switching to plastic pipes because thieves do not target them, but many cannot afford the change,” he said, adding that others have been forced to scale down operations or abandon portions of their fields altogether due to the high cost of replacing stolen equipment.
Middle Sabi is one of Manicaland’s major irrigation schemes and plays a significant role in crop production in the province, and the thefts could have far-reaching consequences for food security and economic activity in the area.
He called for enhanced security measures and stiffer penalties for offenders to deter the crime and safeguard farmers’ investments.
Efforts to obtain a comment from acting Manicaland police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka were unsuccessful at the time of going to print.
