Chronicle Editor
Robin Muchetu in Masvingo
FOR Mrs Irene and Mr Jerifanos Matingwina of Ward Seven, Village 15 in Masvingo District, farming under the Takunda Group at the Mushandike Irrigation Scheme has been a blessing.
Besides achieving food security at the household level, the couple has managed to build a homestead and send their children to school without much hassle.
The transformation has not only improved their living standards but also inspired their children to take a keen interest in farming. They remain confident that they will not face hunger as they age, as their children now appreciate what it means to be food-sufficient.
The couple credits their successes to the support they have been receiving from the banking sector, particularly AFC Bank, which provided loans for seeds and other inputs to the 57 farmers involved in the irrigation scheme.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries and Water, Rural Resettlement and various governmental stakeholders, United Nations agencies have also collaborated to support the farmers with essential resources to secure their livelihoods.
“We do a lot of farming under this irrigation scheme. We have been doing this for the past three years. There is a lot of development here, I managed to build my homestead from the profits made here, thanks to AFC Bank for availing the loans to us. Before this, it was hard to try and get seed money and also pay school fees for my children. When I borrow from the bank, I am able to produce about six tonnes of grain per hectare planted,” said Mrs Matingwina.
Originally from Filabusi in Matabeleland South Province, Mrs Matingwina explained that about three tonnes of their harvest is used to repay the loan, while the remaining three tonnes are sold to the Grain Marketing Board for cash.
“Imali esalayo yiyo esiphila ngayo (the money from grain sales is what we survive on). I managed to build my homestead and send children to school. We truly have transformed our lives through the loan facilities and we are hoping to continue working well with them. My next step is to have a borehole at my homestead so that my family has access to clean water nearer home,” she said.
The benefits derived from farming are not limited to the Matingwina couple. Hundreds of villagers from the 57 households at Mushandike Irrigation Scheme have benefited amid an El Nino-induced drought from the collective efforts where farmers are organised into groups of 10.
AFC Bank provided a seed loan of US$810 to the Takunda Group, sufficient to secure seed maize for 10 hectares. Group members noted that the seed money was crucial in enabling many to participate in the irrigation scheme as inputs had previously been a significant barrier to increased yields.
Loans are repaid in grain to the
The youth have also been actively involved in the irrigation scheme, witnessing the benefits of their participation and the availability of loan facilities that help secure their livelihoods.
Vice-chairperson of the Takunda Group Mr Denhere Busumani said after a successful harvest they get a surplus that they use for other developments.
“We remain with surplus grain and some money from sales that we would have made to GMB enough for us to buy food, clothing and school fees and this takes us to the next harvest.
From the wheat we harvest, the remainder we use for bread making in the home, the same applies with maize, sugar beans and other small grains. We have enough for us to also consume comfortably with our families.”
The Takunda Farmer Group produced the highest yield from half a hectare last season, with one farmer achieving an impressive three tonnes. Additionally, they are growing paprika and chilli, which contribute extra revenue for the group.
The Agriculture Extension officer for village 15, Mrs Kundai Machengere praised the project’s success and transformative impact.
“Under this scheme, we have 20 women and 37 men. The farmers are very happy, this irrigation scheme has indeed transformed the lives of the community. They had been facing water challenges, but a night storage holding dam was created to assist in irrigating their crops. Their output has greatly increased following capacitation with seed money through flexible bank loans. Poor rainfall has also been a challenge, but I am glad to say that following expert advice, they harvested well last season,” she noted.
She expressed hope that they would reach six tonnes per hectare in future cycles, currently sitting at 4,5 tonnes. The vegetables grown at the irrigation scheme, such as beans, cabbages, tomatoes and onions are also supplied to local schools, enhancing students’ nutrition.
Highlighting sustainability, Mrs Machengere added that no grain goes to waste with some grain from grinding mills being fed to free-range chickens at their homesteads.
Previously faced with input shortages, farmers are now grateful for support from institutions such as which provide funding for seeds.
Mushandike Irrigation Scheme is located 30 kilometers from Masvingo City and is one of Zimbabwe’s oldest irrigation schemes, established in 1939. An Irrigation Management Committee (IMC) oversees its operations.
The irrigation scheme is a proud beneficiary of the UN’s support of Zimbabwe’s Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) includes an annual delivery of US$500 million through development and recovery projects under the 2022-2026 Zimbabwe UN Sustainable Development Co-operation Framework.
The SDGs also focus on gender equality, water and sanitation, education, economic empowerment, community resilience and relief assistance.
The UN through the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) focuses on food security under which funds are availed to various irrigation schemes to meet goal number two of the Sustainable Development Goals which emphasises zero hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture.
This commitment is especially evident at the Mushandike Irrigation Scheme, where the community is optimistic about achieving zero hunger as they continue to improve their agricultural yields season after season. @NyembeziMu
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