adminFOOD and nutritional security are a major concern for Zimbabwe because the nutritional choices at our disposal determine how healthy we will be as a nation in the long run. The correct foundation to good health lies in the nation’s ability to produce food products that are rich in nutrients and have a balanced amount of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates and a little bit of fat as well.
According to the 2012 national census statistics, the population stands at 13 million.
What this means is that resources to meet this growing need dwindle, putting to the fore the need for low capital investment and smart technologies that promote the provision of adequate water for agricultural production.
Agriculture is the main occupation in the rural parts of our country, but of late its profitability, especially in marginalised communal areas, has been greatly compromised by a blend of highly erratic and low rainfall and degraded soils deficient in plant nutrients.
Climate change is causing farms to be more vulnerable to droughts, floods, pests, and other natural threats, only exacerbating the problems that small farmers face.
These weather vagaries have detrimentally increased the vulnerability of the poor rural farmers to hunger, disease, poverty and malnutrition.
With the increasing frequency, duration, and severity of drought conditions in Zimbabwe, the country should look at ways of increasing agricultural productivity and income for these farmers, most of whom plant less than one hectare of land, through the introduction of new technologies that secure harvests against unpredictable rains.
How do rural farmers persevere through enduring droughts and changing climates?
Where do they find nutritious foods to sustain their families after persistent crop failures?
Gone is the era where the bulk of cultivated land in communal areas should be dependent on rain-fed agriculture.
Enabling these smallholder farmers to access affordable small plot irrigation can be a critical first step to food security and wealth creation for the rural poor.
Poverty assessment research have shown that irrigated plots can more than double crop yields as compared to rain-fed plots, but the potential to achieve food, water, and income security through irrigation in rural areas remains untapped.
With the increasing frequency, duration and severity of drought conditions in Zimbabwe, small-holder farmers are looking for new ways to ensure that their harvests are secured against unpredictable rains.
One prominent example of small-holder irrigation technologies is drip. This technology has been adopted in Mutasa, Mutare and Nyanga districts of Manicaland, courtesy of development partners, with positive results.
Farmers are able to produce more through this method of efficient water than the open bucket watering system.
The technology has helped farmers to beat hunger and poverty.
Drip-irrigation has played a key role in increasing crop yields, conserving water and creating a source of income for smallholder farmers in these rural parts of Manicaland.
What is drip irrigation?
Drip-irrigation generally refers to the slow application of water through a set of emitters (holes) placed along water delivery lines precisely at the root zone of the plants. Water is supplied to the lines via drums, which can be filled by hand or other means.
Drip-irrigation system has filled an important technology gap for the rural poor by providing a low-cost entry into irrigated agriculture. In contrast to large-scale irrigation systems, which are typically developed in more favourable agricultural areas populated by more well-endowed farmers, drip-systems can be accessed by the poorest and most vulnerable strata of society, particularly women.
This method reduces the amount of water lost through leakage and evaporation and instead of applying fertilisers to the ground near the plant, they are mixed into the water and delivered drop by drop to the root, achieving greater effectiveness and improved quality of harvests.
This method also uses up to 75 percent less water, which can be used to irrigate new growing areas.
While the concept of drip irrigation existed before, it was revolutionised by Israeli water engineer Simcha Blass, who serendipitously discovered that a slow and balanced drip led to remarkable growth.
He created tubing that slowly released water where it was most effective, and in 1965 Kibbutz Hatzerim built a whole new industry, Netafim, based on his invention, which helped smallholder farmers improve water conservation and increase crop yields through the manufacture and distribution of small drip-irrigation systems.
The model was built from a low-cost design, making it affordable to even the poorest farmers.
By implementing drip-irrigation, small-holder farmers are able to increase the variety of crops on their farms and produce higher yields, resulting in greater food security and income opportunities.
This system is a complete drip irrigation unit. It operates by water gravity from a tank placed at 1–1,5 meters high. It is a closed piped gravity system, localised method, and solid seasonal installation, for growing vegetables, flowers and other horticultural crops on flat or minor slope land. It does not necessarily need any external power for normal operation.
It is ideal for rural conditions and small-scale agricultural production in rural areas with water shortage and limited supply. It can be installed in greenhouses, low-tunnels and in the open and back yards of village houses.
Drip irrigation offers the following specific advantages:
Proven water savings
Improved crop yields
More efficient use of fertilisers
Used to administer pesticides, improving resistance against pests
Reduced weed growth
Energy savings from less pumping and reduced labour costs
Suitable for marginal lands and those with lower water quality
Maintained soil quality and improved land productivity as a result.
Online Reporter