Govt moves to develop greenbelts

From George Maponga Masvingo
Government has deployed technical committees to start working on modalities to develop greenbelts in some parts of Masvingo using water from Tokwe-Mukosi Dam.

Zimbabwe is expecting a bumper harvest after Government successfully introduced Command Agriculture.

The scheme targets to produce more than 2 million tonnes of maize.

The success of the Command Agriculture Scheme has led to calls for Government to direct its focus on rolling out Command Irrigation at Tokwe-Mukosi where water from the dam can irrigate 25 000 hectares.

Tokwe-Mukosi Dam is now 67 percent full, which translates to about 1,204 billion cubic metres and can hold 1,8 billion cubic metres of water when full.

Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Shuvai Mahofa, yesterday said several provincial technical committees had been to the reserviour to explore how collected water could be immediately harnessed for irrigation.

“We have technical teams that have been identifying land that will be irrigated using the dam’s water with others also looking at where people will be resettled for them to start irrigation using Tokwe-Mukosi water,’’ she said.

“Implementing Command Irrigation at Tokwe-Mukosi will be master-stroke by Government because on top of producing food for the nation all year round there will also be scope to grow targeted cash crops for export that will earn Zimbabwe foreign currency and help grow the economy,’’ said Sen Mahofa.

Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister responsible for Cropping Davis Marapira also expressed optimism that Command Irrigation at Tokwe-Mukosi Dam would bring unprecedented benefits to the province.

“I am 125 percent certain that if we implement Command Irrigation at Tokwe-Mukosi we would have pressed the right button in as far as boosting our food security is concerned.

“Tokwe-Mukosi presents the biggest chance for our country to be self-sufficient in food and there is urgent need for the dam’s water to be used for the benefit of our nation,’’ he said.