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Last week farmers from the Matabeleland regions met the Deputy Ministers of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Paddy Zhanda (Livestock) and David Marapira (Cropping) where they called for the speedy completion of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project to promote irrigation farming along the greenbelt areas with less rainfall.
The demands by the farmers for the development and promotion of irrigation farming are spot on because given the unpredictable nature of the rainfall patterns, only irrigation can guarantee farmers good harvests.
Climate change has resulted in more and more droughts being experienced, leaving the country having to import grain to cover for the food shortages experienced in dry areas with poor rainfall.
The country does have a considerable number of dams dotted around the provinces but the waters in some of the dams are not being used for irrigation because there is no irrigation infrastructure.
Government has already been implementing an irrigation development programme but we believe more could be done given that rain-fed farming can no longer be depended upon.
Even in natural regions which used to enjoy good rains in the past, the amount of rainfall keeps dwindling because of climate change.
In some years, the areas can receive good rains in the first half of the season, enabling farmers to plant before the rains disappear in the second phase of the season. The crops then wilt, leaving farmers with poor harvests.
In other years, the rains can be late in coming with the second half of the season getting more rainfall than the first. More resources should be channelled towards irrigation because with more irrigation schemes across the nation, Zimbabwe can be assured of good harvests.
Since Government is hamstrung by financial constraints to harness water by building more dams, it needs thinking outside the box to mobilise resources.
Early this year, two irrigation schemes were commissioned in Matabeleland South Province following rehabilitation by Government.
The schemes, which had been lying idle for years, were revived using proceeds from the Community Share Ownership Scheme under the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Programme.
Guyu-Chelsea and Sukwi Irrigation Schemes had been neglected because of damaged canals and constant breakdown of engines.
The former Matabeleland South Governor and Resident Minister Cde Angeline Masuku said the two irrigation schemes should have been rehabilitated by the Government in 2011 under the Public Sector Investment Programme but that was not done because the then Minister of Finance Mr Tendai Biti did not release the funds.
The two irrigation schemes failed to get funding as the Finance Ministry was headed by Mr Biti whose party had no vision for development and did not value funding of agriculture by Government.
The irrigation schemes were saved by the Gwanda Community Share Ownership Scheme. Under the Community Share Ownership Schemes, companies that operate in a particular community are required to give shareholding to the community as well as seed money to fund community projects in that area.
Since its formation last year, the Gwanda Community Share Ownership Scheme has also undertaken and completed the refurbishment of Matape and Sitezi clinics while the construction of Silikwe Clinic is almost complete.
This has all been possible because of the visionary indigenisation and economic empowerment programme conceived and promoted by Zanu-PF.
We need more of such inventiveness to come up with more programmes that can unlock resources to fund development to lessen the burden on the already overloaded State.
Online Reporter