Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
ABOUT 40 households in Male Village in Bulilima were left counting losses after a herd of elephants invaded their 2-hectare solar-powered smallholder irrigation scheme and damaged infrastructure and crops.
Big Company Irrigation Scheme benefits vulnerable groups such as orphans, the elderly, widows, people with disability, and people diagnosed with chronic illnesses.
The garden which has 40 members is a major source of livelihood for the community.
In 2021, Government in partnership with Practical Action under the Planting for Progress project, came in and assisted the community to establish the garden.
A solar-powered borehole and a drip irrigation system were installed in the garden. Practical Action assisted the villages with equipment which includes solar panels, water storage tanks, pipes, engine pumps, and the erection of a perimeter fence.
Farmers had planted maize, sweet potatoes, vegetables, cabbage, onions, and tomatoes when the elephants invaded their project two months ago.
Big Company Irrigation project chairperson Mrs Vivian Nleya said they lost their major source of income.
“This garden is an essential part of our livelihood as it supports the vulnerable members of the community. Since the garden was established in 2021 many families were now food secure. Our members were getting their food from the garden and also selling the produce,” she said.
“The elephants came in May and destroyed the crops and drip irrigation infrastructure and also vandalised the perimeter fence. We are now trying to secure the garden using thickets, but the challenge we have is that even if we start producing we won’t have an effective watering source.”
Mrs Nleya said while elephants have in the past invaded their garden, they had never disrupted their operations.
Big Company Irrigation Scheme member, Ms Similo Sibanda said she is in a state despair after losing a source of income.
She said they are now in need of assistance to revive their garden.
“There is a need for production to resume as soon as possible. Once the irrigation scheme is revived there is a need for a permanent solution to address the elephant menace as the animals will continue threatening our livelihood,” said Mrs Nleya.
Bulilima Ward 20 Councillor Benjamin Nleya said elephants are a major threat to villagers living in areas along the border with Botswana.
Clr Nleya said the garden played a critical role in terms of eradicating poverty in the community.
“Big Company Garden was a thriving project which has helped uplift lives for a number of people in this area. This project is crucial because it benefits vulnerable members of the community such as orphans, people with disability, widows, and the elderly,” he said.
“People are now stranded as they have lost their source of income. There is a compelling need for the community to be assisted as a matter of urgency. I am appealing to partners and other well-wishers to assist the villagers resuscitate their garden.” –@DubeMatutu
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