adminTawanda Mangoma in CHIREDZI
Government has set parameters that will see all irrigation schemes in Masvingo Province operating at full throttle by 2018, an official has said.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Davis Marapira said the development came at a time when nearly all water bodies in the province had adequate water for irrigation. The move would result in farmers producing crops twice a year without limitations.
Deputy Minister Marapira said in an interview that most irrigation schemes in Masvingo were not functioning last season mainly because of water shortages.
He said the main task was to seriously monitor production levels at each irrigation scheme to establish farmers whose plots should be taken over by Government.
“We have a total of around 3 700 hectares under small-scale irrigation schemes in Masvingo Province,” he said.
“As Government, we cannot continue watching when irrigable land which must be viable is going to waste.”
Online Reporter