adminFarming Reporters
SMALL-SCALE irrigation farmers in Manicaland are crying foul over high water and electricity charges that threaten to force them out of business if no urgent corrective measures were put in place to fine-tune pricing regime.
The farmers said tariffs being charged by Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company and Zimbabwe National Water Authority were making irrigation more expensive and unaffordable.
They said from September last year, Zinwa ordered them to pay $10 to irrigate an acre, an amount that has since shot up to $18.
Most farmers are failing to raise the new tariffs, forcing some farmers to leave their fields uncultivated, while other farmers were forced to watch their crop wilting due to lack of irrigation water.
Farmers have implicated the local irrigation committee of worsening their plight by converting part of the collected money into personal use.
Chimanimani Ward 8 councillor, Clr Joseph Zviuya, said the irrigation scheme was their main source of livelihood and the declining production levels were worrisome.
“Zinwa should make water affordable for farmers because our rainy seasons have become shorter and unpredictable. The Ministry of Agriculture should incentivise farmers by engaging Zinwa and ZETDC to review water and electricity tariffs downwards,” said Clr Zviuya.
One of the farmers, Mr Tendai Katsaura, said cost of production was unbearable.
“The weather points to a drought and most of us had pinned hopes on irrigation to boost production, but the costs have become unbearable. The huge amount of money we are forking out is unsustainable. The costs of agricultural production are very high and most of us cannot afford them,” said Mr Katsaura.
“We thought the problem of the operations at our irrigation schemes were being hampered by the pre-paid meters, but the situation is now worse,” he added.
Farmers argued that they must be asked to pre-pay electricity for domestic consumption not for production.
The farmers bitterly complained that the move was at variance with regional, continental and international trends and likely to destroy commercial agriculture in the country.
The bulky of the farmers in Zimbabwe are primary producers whose profit margins are very little and compelling them to pre-pay electricity at a time they were not accessing lines of credits from banks or in cases where banks finance them, they do so at high interest rate, was unviable.
Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga, said farmers should sign agreements for the coming cropping season.
“For the coming winter cropping season, Zinwa urges farmers to sign agreements and also obtain water permits for them to secure water for their crops. Signing agreements and getting water permits allows Zinwa to properly plan the available and limited water.
“Farmers should also work closely with extension officers in order for them to get their proper water requirements for their crops. This allows them to properly do their water budgets. Irrigating farmers are encouraged to use water efficient irrigation systems. Those using canals for water conveyance should ensure that their canals are lined to prevent seepage and evaporation.
“The farmers should also strive to understand the proper water requirements for their crops so that they do not use excessive water. They should also repair all leaks within their systems to avoid unnecessary water losses,” said Mrs Munyonga.
Online Reporter