Patrick Chitumba [email protected]
MORE than 400 households in Zvishavane are set to benefit from improved food security and increased incomes following the installation of a 360-metre centre pivot at Mabwematema Irrigation Scheme, which is enabling farmers to produce crops throughout the year.
The 52-hectare scheme, located in Ward 12 of Runde Rural District Council under Chief Wedza, is reducing farmers’ dependence on increasingly unreliable rainfall while creating opportunities for households to grow enough food and sell surplus produce.
The investment, supported by Government and its partners, is expected to strengthen rural livelihoods, improve agricultural productivity and contribute to national food security in line with the country’s Vision 2030 development agenda.
Zvishavane District development coordinator Mr Darlington Chokera said the irrigation scheme was improving the resilience of more than 400 households by expanding their capacity to produce food despite changing climatic conditions.
“This is a welcome development for the community as this irrigation scheme is transforming the lives of 400 Zvishavane households. This is in line with Vision 2030,” he said.
Mabwematema Irrigation Scheme chairperson Mr Landelani Ntete said the project was helping farmers meet household food requirements while generating additional income through the sale of surplus produce to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
“This initiative is catering for our community, with the surplus being sold to GMB. It is helping a lot to maximise irrigation systems’ efficiency. Hence, by 2030 we are hoping to have achieved food security,” he said.
Mr Ntete said the scheme had become particularly important as farmers faced the effects of climate change, including El Niño-induced dry spells that threaten rain-fed agriculture.
With irrigation facilities in place, farmers can plan their production beyond the traditional rainy season, giving them greater capacity to meet household needs and supply the market.
“Beyond meeting household needs, the scheme is also enabling us, the farmers, to produce surplus crops for the market,” he said.
Agritex officer Mr Peter Makalisa said the functional irrigation system would help ensure more consistent harvests while reducing the vulnerability of rural farmers to changing weather patterns.
“The programme here is ensuring food security is met. With the irrigation scheme being functional, we are assured of a constant harvest, and the irrigation scheme is crucial in mitigating challenges faced by the changing climatic conditions in the agriculture sector. This is in line with the Government’s vision of food security,” he said.
Mr Makalisa said the investment formed part of broader efforts to expand irrigation-based agriculture, strengthen rural production and improve national food security.
A farmer, Mr Thomas Maunganidze, said centre pivot presents an opportunity for farmers to move away from the limitations of seasonal rainfall and sustain agricultural production throughout the year.
He said the irrigation facility would improve food availability for local communities by allowing farmers to produce crops beyond the rainy season.
“The irrigation facility has removed the limitations associated with depending entirely on seasonal rainfall. This irrigation scheme is helping us to do our farming production all year round,” said Mr Maunganidze.
Another farmer, Ms Charity Nduna, said the new infrastructure had improved agricultural production and strengthened household food security.
“This irrigation is revolutionising our farming activities. We have improved in terms of production since we got this irrigation system.
“This translates to food security at the household level. We commend this project for its results,” she said.
