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George Maponga in Masvingo
Communities in the Hwendedzo area in Masvingo North constituency have hailed the Second Republic for rehabilitating Stanmore B Irrigation Scheme with household incomes expected to rise through horticulture production.
The 32-hectare irrigation scheme had been mothballed for years after the collapse of its water conveyancing infrastructure, but was resuscitated by Government under the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme.
The scheme, which draws water from the perennially-flowing Mutirikwi River, has 32 plotholders.
Plot holders were struggling to irrigate their crops after their overhead irrigation system collapsed before its rehabilitation this year, bringing joy on their faces and the entire Hwendedzo community.
According to Mrs Memory Ndoro from Hwendedzo, the revival of the scheme has rescued both plot holders and the local community from a very difficult situation in terms of income and food security. “The sprinklers at our irrigation scheme were no longer working and this lead to virtual collapse of the irrigation scheme before the system was repaired.
“Stanmore B scheme has been the lifeblood for the local community for many years and we had lost hope after the water conveyancing system stopped working a few years ago only to be repaired this year,” she said.
Mr Bright Musara from Hwendedzo said Stanmore B was a food security lifeblood for communities in his area.
“The only way our people can accrue benefits from the perennially-flowing Mutirikwi River is through irrigation at Stanmore B and we were worried after the irrigation scheme almost collapsed because of a malfunctional water conveyancing system.”
“We want to applaud Government for timely moving in to undertake the necessary repair work and our people can smile again because they are now able to sell their green produce and earn money to sustain their families and pay schools for their children,” said Mr Musara.
Masvingo district Agritex officer Mr Eliphas Mugari said the resuscitation of Stanmore B under the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme was a game changer for the Masvingo North community in Hwendedzo.
“Stanmore B is one of the important irrigation schemes across the province that was revived by Government under the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme and we are very happy that the scheme that had been mothballed for some time is now up and running.
The scheme specialised in horticulture production and is a key source of vegetables for Masvingo City and we are happy that it is now back on stream,” he said. “The water conveyancing system had collapsed and the sprinkler irrigation system was repaired and is now functioning well. The community is very happy because after completion of the rehabilitation work plot holders underwent training to preserve the facility and also boost yields.”
Zanu PF Masvingo North National Assembly aspiring member Cde Brian Mudumi paid tribute to President Mngangagwa for being a hands on leader who provided solutions to people’s challenges.
“Stanmore B irrigation scheme rehabilitation is one of the signature projects implemented by President Mnangagwa’s administration that has a direct bearing on people’s lives and we are happy that the malfunctional water conveyancing system is now back on stream and plotholders and the entire community have smiles back on their faces,” he said.”The scheme is a key source of livelihood for the Hwendedzo folk, Masvingo North and Masvingo City as plotholders earn income from selling their green produce while others benefit in terms of food security.
“This project shows that the President walks the talk when he says the thrust of his government is to leave no place and no one behind,” said Cde Mudumi.
Stanmore B is primed to be incorporated under the Lake Mutirikwi greenbelt initiative that seeks to create a vast greenbelt stretching from Mutimurefu Prison to Roy Business Centre in Bikita using underused water in Zimbabwe’s second largest internal dam.
Online Reporter