Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu and Sione Amidu
WANEZI Irrigation Scheme farmers have put their recently revived dam to productive use through increased agricultural output, with members purchasing equipment and other inputs in line with the rural industrialisation drive.
The irrigation scheme was established in 2024 following the rehabilitation of Wanezi Dam.
Last year, the farmers produced sugar beans and used proceeds from sales to buy farming equipment and seed, which they have planted for their second cropping cycle.
The farmers have 24 hectares under maize and 10 hectares under chilli. The 35-hectare irrigation scheme has 74 members, comprising 43 women and 31 men.
A farmer at the scheme, Mr Mzingaye Msipha, said they have also introduced hay baling to support their livestock.
“Two years ago this was just a barren land with trees all over. Government and its development partners came and developed this place and today we have an agricultural hub. This is our second crop, from the last harvest we managed to buy farming equipment, which is now assisting us in our production process and inputs such as seed. As commercial farmers we know we have the obligation to contribute to food security.
“Our production has improved this year from the previous year and our plan is to keep on growing and maximising production. We have planted maize and chillies and we have also kick-started hay baling. We’re not leaving anything to chance. Our wish is never to be affected by drought the way it has in the past years,” he said.
Another farmer, Ms Evidence Nyoni, said the rehabilitation of Wanezi Dam has significantly improved their livelihoods. She said that previously, farmers struggled to sustain viable agricultural projects due to water shortages.
“We’re grateful to the Second Republic for providing us with modern irrigation equipment like the centre pivots and for rehabilitating of our dam. We have been working together as a team for better results and we have realised that working as a team yields better fruits.”
During a visit to the irrigation scheme, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, Professor Dr Obert Jiri, said development in the Wanezi community was driven by Government’s objective to strengthen the dam-centred economy in rural areas.
“Under our climate proofing agenda, we have the notion that a dam must be an economy. The idea of the rehabilitation of Wanezi Dam was to make it an economy for this community. The irrigation scheme is one of the facets of the economy, the water reticulation system into the community, the solar-powered system and the fisheries component.
“Rural development is not just a dream but a development for this community. The farmers are operating as a unit, which has made operations easier. Working as a unit is good for business. In this dry region when things are done properly we will see an economy being built, livelihoods being transformed and rural economies being uplifted,” he said.
Prof Jiri said Government and its partners continue to climate-proof the agricultural sector by investing in irrigation infrastructure, with dam construction remaining central to this effort.
He said the scheme should continue to operate as a business unit, with each dam expected to support fisheries. He added that the surrounding community is expected to benefit from the dam water for both domestic and livestock use, while local institutions should also draw from the resource.
Rehabilitation of Wanezi Dam has enabled the establishment of a 35-hectare irrigation scheme. Wanezi Dam, once a major source of livelihood for farmers, was damaged by Cyclone Dineo in 2016, leaving villagers without a reliable water source. It was originally constructed in 1952.
In 2024, the dam was rehabilitated under the Community Climate Adaptation Water and Energy Project (CAWEP), funded by the British Embassy and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with Government departments.
The community has also benefitted under the Government’s Presidential Community Fisheries Scheme, with 10 000 tilapia fingerlings stocked in Wanezi Dam. The dam now supplies two schools and will support a seven hectare school irrigation project. A piped water scheme benefitting about 100 households has also been established.
Constructed in 1952, Wanezi Dam, which was a major source of livelihood for farmers, was damaged by Cyclone Dineo in 2016, leaving villagers in despair. – @DubeMatutu.
