Irrigation: Solution for food security

patterns across the world has further magnified the importance of irrigation schemes and particularly in the poor Southern parts, where in the past couple of seasons they have compromised food security in most African states.

The Zimbabwean Government has ably located and rehabilitation of irrigation schemes as the panacea to food security especially among the small-scale producers.
Irrigation gives the farmers an opportunity not only to produce in summer but also to carry out their activities throughout the year.
Invariably, this has contributed to households doubling or tripling their annual incomes from farming activities.
Irrigation is, however, possible in environments where water supplies are available.

It is in this context that Zinwa, the country’s water authority, comes in to play a crucial role in agriculture development and sustainability. In other words, Zinwa plays a crucial role in the realisation of this economic function and food security by ensuring water availability from reservoirs such as dams, rivers and even development of high water yielding boreholes for irrigation.
Zinwa has developed irrigation schemes across the country for the small-scale farmers who cannot develop these facilities on their own. The schemes are playing an important role in household food security and sustainable income.

These schemes produce cereals like maize and market gardening produce such as tomatoes, onions, cabbages, carrots, beans and peas throughout the year.
Irrigation schemes have transformed lifestyles and communities such as in Mutoko, Mutambara, Nyanyadzi, Odzi, Mhondoro and Zvimba by becoming an indispensable part for household income.

The Government through the Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Ministry, however, compliments Zinwa’s role.
To that end last week the ministry unveiled its irrigation rehabilitation programme for this agricultural season, 2011/2012.
The ministry has floated five tenders for rehabilitation of irrigation schemes for small-scale farmers starting in Manicaland province.

These formal tenders will close on November 29, 2011.
They are for Bonde, Nyanyadzi, Nenhowe, Mwarazi and Chesa/Mutondwe irrigation schemes.
The tenders are specifically for supply, delivery and installation of irrigation pump units at Bonde and Nyanyadzi, construction and completion of Nyanyadzi weir, construction of surface irrigation (head works and infield works) at Mwarazi and finally electrification of Chesa/Mutondwe irrigation scheme.

Vandalism of irrigation infrastructure had become widespread across the country in the recent past because of easy markets for stolen products. These acts of vandalism, however, inconvenienced hundreds of households and compromised production.

It is in this light that Zinwa supports the new Protection of Power, Water and Communication Infrastructure Act that calls for stiffer sentences against those convicted of vandalism of such infrastructure.

Maintenance and repair of irrigation infrastructure costs significant financial resources.
These resources primarily come from two sources; water tariffs payable to Zinwa and direct grants/budgetary allocation from Treasury.

Whichever way one looks at it, farmers have to be responsible and pay their levies in order to get services.
The economic decline registered in the last decade may have contributed to lower incomes among farmers and thus negatively affecting their capacity to pay water tariffs/rates.

However, the economic upturn should also prove that farmers are responsible by paying their levies to guarantee expansion and maintenance of existing irrigation infrastructure.
Irrigation depends on the protection of water sources like rivers and dams from siltation.

Siltation is usually caused by poor farming methods close to water sources, deforestation and other unfriendly environment management processes.
The end result is the drying up of rivers and lack of supply to downstream dams, thereby compromising irrigation capacity.

These and other issues should be closely looked into and addressed by all stakeholders particularly in the light of changing weather patterns.
This further reinforces the need to develop irrigation infrastructure as mitigation against the harsh adverse conditions.

Zimbabwe has no other option but to rehabilitate infrastructure and develop new ones to ensure food security.