Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is making significant strides in enhancing irrigation development in Beitbridge through its “Enhanced Resilience for Vulnerable Households in Zimbabwe” project.
Under the concept, FAO has managed to bring five major communal irrigation projects to life in a district where crops cannot do well under normal rainfall patterns.
To drive crop husbandry, most communal farmers have turned to solar-powered drip irrigation that makes use of both green energy and saves water compared to flood irrigation and other traditional methods.
Beitbridge Rural District Council (BBRDC) chairperson of the works, planning and projects committee, Councillor Thando Ndlovu, Ward 9, said during a full council meeting on Tuesday that the project aims to improve food security and resilience to climate change in the region.
He said the benefiting irrigation projects include the Mzingwane (Mtetengwe), Tshapfutshe (Aluwani), Jalukange, Sivule and Ndambe irrigation projects.
At Bili, a contractor has since been handed over the site, and civil works are yet to be carried out.
“We have made great progress in reviving irrigation development around our district under the Enhanced Resilience for Vulnerable Households in Zimbabwe project supported by FAO, which identified irrigation schemes that need to be expanded and or improved irrigation systems,” said Clr Ndlovu.
He said at Mzingwane (Mtetengwe) Irrigation Scheme, Ward 7, the organisation had facilitated the installation of a perimeter fence spanning 3 483,5 meters, drilled five boreholes which are powered by two solar pumping stations.
In Ward 5, Clr Ndlovu said 10 hectares have been fenced, with two boreholes being drilled and three borehole capacity-tested at the Aluwani Farmer Learning Centre in the Tshapfutshe area.
Additionally, FAO helped the farmers to construct pump houses, and the infield works were now 65 percent complete.
“At the Jalukange irrigation scheme, three boreholes have been drilled and equipped, with a 20-hectare drip system installed,” said Clr Ndlovu.
“The project is 100 percent complete, benefiting 141 families and revitalising a scheme that had collapsed due to years of neglect.”
“We have also made some progress at the Sivule irrigation scheme, where three boreholes have been drilled and equipped with solar pumping systems, and tank installation has been completed. This project is 100 percent complete, with wheat crops currently being grown.
“The construction of the pump house, booster pump installation, solar system installation, and infield drip system installation at Ndambe Phase 2 irrigation scheme has also been completed.”
He said the FAO project is expected to significantly improve food security and resilience to climate change in Beitbridge.
Clr Ndlovu said that through the enhancement of irrigation infrastructure, farmers will be able to increase their crop yields and improve their livelihoods.
This, he added, was crucial in a district prone to droughts and floods, where climate-related risks are high.
“It is our hope as a local authority that improved irrigation infrastructure will enable farmers to grow more crops, increasing food availability and reducing reliance on external aid,” said the official.
Government and its partners have, of late, been rolling out several programmes to revamp irrigation development in drought-prone areas such as Beitbridge, where serious viability problems are threatening productivity and the operations of such irrigation development projects.
In some instances, the irrigation schemes are being underutilised while others are facing a host of challenges, including capacity underutilisation, poor performance characterised by low yields, water conveyance and water use insufficiencies, and poor scheme management.
