Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
HWANGE Local Board (HLB) is working on identifying suitable land to establish community gardens in each of its five wards to empower residents through horticultural projects. The community gardens will help widen income bases for residents and improve nutrition.
The issue has been discussed at a full council meeting and councillors resolved that the Department of Physical Planning be invited to identify suitable land in all wards under the jurisdiction of HLB for the creation and allotment of gardens.
Ward development committees are also expected to identify beneficiaries for the gardens and submit names to council.The Department of Social Welfare will also assist in the assessment of potential beneficiaries while the local authority will look for partnerships with donors and non-governmental organisations, according to the council resolution made recently.
The idea of the community gardens, which are viable in other urban areas like Bulawayo, are a source of income for residents who grow vegetables which they sell for income and also feed their families.
In urban areas where the concept has been implemented, development partners have chipped in to drill boreholes and provide water storage facilities and security fences.In an interview, HLB chairperson Councillor Nqobile Ocean Mabhena said at the moment there is only one community garden in Hwange’s Ward 5.
There 14 wards in Hwange urban and only seven of them in Baobab, Chibondo and Empumalanga fall within HLB’s administrative area, with the other seven falling under concession areas administered by Hwange Colliery Company, Zimbabwe Power Company and National Railways of Zimbabwe.”This is a concept which we are adopting and has been implemented in other towns.
“We are targeting widows, widowers and the underprivileged where council will provide land for the residents to start nutritional gardens.
The idea is to have gardens which can help supplement income and nutrition for our communities and so far we have only one in ward 5,” he said.
He said each ward will have a garden and council is working on identifying development partners who can drill boreholes and install water storage facilities.Plans are underway to drill a borehole and provide a water storage system at the existing garden in ward 5 in Empumalanga.
Cllr Mabhena said land is specifically designated according to land zones for different social amenities and uses.”So we are in the process of identifying suitable fertile land that is closer to the people for security to avoid vandalism by wild animals and thieves.
All this needs the input of the Department of Physical Planning and Spatial Development,” he said.- @ncubeleon.
Online Reporter