adminIn an interview on the sidelines of a farmers’ workshop organised by the Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union in Esigodini recently, the Matabeleland North ZFU chairman Mr Shadreck Ncube said little effort had been made by the Government to try and revive irrigation schemes in the province.
“The Government has done nothing about the irrigation projects that have been dysfunctional in Matabeleland North and what is disheartening is that some of these projects are just a few metres from the bank of the Zambezi river.
“Government should intervene because these projects really should be brought back to life as people were making a living out of them,” said Mr Ncube.
He expressed disappointment over the failure by Government to support these projects as they had become a source of income for most people in the province.
In parts of Matabeleland North, a drought prone area, irrigation schemes had transformed the lives of people in the province, however, some projects have not been operational for up to five years leaving thousands of people unemployed.
Mr Ncube said there was a need for all unproductive irrigation schemes to be restored by beginning of next year to provide a platform for farmers in the province to gear for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) conference to be co-hosted by the country next year.
The tourism event would be held in Matabeleland North, in the resort town of Victoria Falls, in August next year.
Mr Ncube said since the province would host the UNWTO conference, strategies should be put in place to see that local farmers were capacitated to supply hotels in preparation for the occasion.
“Some of the irrigation projects in the province have gone for years without production taking place following a series of problems that farmers have failed to deal with alone,” Ncube said.
He said this world event would provide a forum for farmers and hoteliers in the province to consolidate existing business partnerships.
“Next year the province will host the world tourism conference and we want local farmers to have capacity to supply hotels with all produce that would be needed because this would be a good platform for our farmers to get a boost.
“Farmers have failed to restart these projects alone and we are calling upon the Government to assist so that we don’t see a situation whereby our hotels get supplied by farmers from other regions,” he said.
Mr Ncube said all efforts by farmers to try and resurrect the projects had not been successful as most companies in surrounding areas had not been forthcoming to come to the rescue of the farmers.
“We have even gone to an extent of approaching companies in the province to come in and help us but they have done nothing so far whereas banks have not been willing to provide us with some funds,” he said.
Among the big income generating projects that have suspended operations over the past years are Chezya and Makwa irrigation schemes.
Operations at Chezya irrigation came to a halt more than five years ago after the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) cut water supplies following the failure by farmers to settle a $3 700 debt while for the past two years farmers at Makwa irrigation scheme failed to inject capital to attend to water engine problems.
Crops grown by farmers at these irrigation schemes include tomatoes, onions, beans and maize.
The major consumers of the produce by farmers in the province were hotels located in Victoria Falls.
Online Reporter