Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
WITH the reality of climate change slowly sinking in the country’s communities amid unpredictable weather patterns, prolonged dry spells, floods, cyclones and cold wintry days even in summer, the country has responded by making sure that irrigation schemes are revamped as the only sure way for sustaining agriculture activity in the country.
With unpredictable rainfall patterns, droughts have become more common and a crop assessment carried out recently revealed that Midlands Province which had the highest hectarage this farming season, is expecting 30 percent yield after the rest was written off owing to prolonged dry spells in the mid-season.
The province’s crop and livestock officer, Mrs Medline Magwenzi said there was no hope of a good yield in the province but was quick to point out that dams received a considerable amount of water enough for irrigation.
“Despite the province having the biggest hectarage planted, the effects of climate change are being felt just like in any other part of the country. Out of the total hectarage of maize, 80 percent did not do well, while only 10 percent is good and another 10 percent has chances of making it if more rains are received,” she said.
The situation is reflective of what is transpiring across the country, if not the region and the world at large.
Faced by such a challenge where people are staring hunger in the face, the Government is not sitting on its laurels.
Although the smallholder irrigation revitalisation programme has been ongoing, the Government chose to accelerate the process in a bid to ensure food security in the country.
Women, who are usually at the receiving end in any dire situation like hunger and poverty, were taken on board to ensure that families are well fed.
In line with the agenda 2030 Sustainable Development goals number 1 and 2 whose objectives are to end all forms of hunger and poverty by 2030, the Government continues to uphold the same through promoting sustainable agricultural practices, supporting small scale farmers and allowing equal access to land, water, technology and markets.
The mechanisation programme that was being undertaken by the Government shifted its focus to the irrigation sector of agriculture given the dams that received enough water for irrigation.
Through the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme (SIRP), funded by the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), OFID, and the Government of Zimbabwe to the tune of US$51,68 million, the Government seeks to reduce vulnerability among the people.
It was established in 2016 with a goal of reducing vulnerability of smallholder farmers to food and nutrition insecurity, climate change effects and economic shocks and contributing to the resilience of smallholder farming communities as well as sustainability increasing rural households’ income in SIRP, supported schemes and adjacent rain-fed areas.
In pursuit of an Empowered Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030, — Healthy People, Zero Hunger, No Poverty, Government is targeting to rehabilitate and develop 350 000 hectares by 2025 across the country to safeguard the country against the negative effects of climate change and ensure food security.
Of these, SIRP will contribute 6 100 hectares on 60 irrigation schemes.
The programme, which is expected to run until 2023, is billed to benefit 27 500 farmers.
Already, the Government has recorded significant progress in the mechanisation programme.
Irrigation schemes that have been successfully revitalised so far include Banga in Masvingo, Mayorca in Silobela and Mutange in Gokwe which is planting its first crop this winter.
SIRP project co-ordinator, Mr Odreck Mukorera notes that the main focus is to promote nutrition sensitive agriculture in both irrigation and rain-fed areas.
“This is done through provision of training on good agricultural practices, gender action learning systems (GALS), nutrition education, natural resources management, post-harvest management and farming as a business,” he notes.
Pleasing to note is the fact that women are being given a role in all the programmes.
In fact, at the Mutange Scheme in Gokwe, women are playing a leading role as they were largely involved in the fencing of the 134ha scheme.
Of the 76 beneficiaries at Mayorca Irrigation Scheme, 30 of them are women.
Besides crop farming, women and men are given equal opportunities to embark on goat rearing, bee keeping and chicken rearing projects that are also being carried out at the schemes.
“As a measure to address the Covid-19 impacts which ravaged the entire world, the rural poor stimulus fund was availed to empower women on production of personal protective equipment (PPE) and support farmers with crop and livestock inputs,” said Mr Mukorera.
Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Douglas Karoro said as the country grapples with the effects of climate change, the Government was intensifying the revitalisation of irrigation schemes.
“In the last decade, the country has been and continues to experience changes in climatic conditions. Rainfall patterns are no longer reliable with droughts and floods occurring more frequently. As a country we boast of more than 10 000 small to medium dams sufficient to irrigate up to 2 million hectares, but our irrigation is still under 15 percent of this potential hence the accelerated move by the Government,” he said.
He said the irrigation schemes were a clear demonstration of the Government’s efforts to transform rural people’s lives.
The scheme is the first of its kind in Gokwe, which is largely a cotton farming area and will see its first wheat crop this winter season.
Deputy Minister Karoro said the agriculture sector does not only contribute 17 percent to the country’s GDP but more importantly it provides 67 percent of the country’s population with a source of livelihood.
“Cognisant of this reality and as part of the roadmap to Vision 2030 and NDS1 one of the key deliverables of these blue prints is sustainable food security. My ministry is therefore mandated with achieving food self-sufficiency from 45 percent in 2020 to 100 percent by 2025,” he said.
This, he said, entails increasing maize production from 907 629 metric tonnes to 3 million metric tonnes in 2025 among other targets.
Deputy Minister Karoro said Mayorca was a clear demonstration of the commitment that the Government places in irrigation development to climate-proofed agriculture for sustainable and resilient transformation of the rural space.
Minister of State responsible for Monitoring of Special Agriculture Projects in the President’s Office, Davis Marapira said the Government was walking its talk of not leaving no place and no one behind as witnessed by the Mutange Irrigation Scheme in Gokwe.
He said the participation of women in the project was commendable.
“I am impressed by the role played by everyone at the farm. All of the farmers are committed to the irrigation scheme. I am also impressed that women are playing a critical role which is in line with the Government’s mantra of not leaving any place or anyone behind,” said Minister Marapira.
Gokwe’s Headman Chisina said women were the worst affected in the area as most crops did not do well.
“Women and girls are suffering in this area and most of them, especially women headed families, are finding it hard to survive. This scheme however, is coming as a source of livelihood to our women. I have told my men here that we should make it a point that as many women as possible should benefit from this,” he said.
It is pleasing to note that in every mechanisation or revitalisation programme the Government is undertaking, it is ensuring that both men and women benefit.
Online Reporter