Mushandike Irrigation Scheme gets farm machinery

Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
THE Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) has availed a combine harvester and two tractors to Mushandike Irrigation Scheme in Masvingo as part of boosting farming operations at one of the biggest schemes in the province.

Mushandike Irrigation Scheme, located about 20 kilometres outside the city along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway, is a major supplier of fresh farm produce to the city. The chairperson of the irrigation scheme Mr Denhere

Bhusvumani said the equipment will help the farmers to ramp up production.

“We got a donation from Arda of the combine harvester and two tractors and we are very happy as they have put us on a more advanced stage. We are now able to plant and reap our produce on time,” he said.

Arda Manicaland and Masvingo regional manager Mr Innocent Musiiwa said that they were working on capacitating farmers and have since deployed a business manager at the irrigation scheme to offer expertise on production.

“We have deployed an irrigation scheme business manager who is going to be working with the farmers. We are also going to be implementing the Vision 2030 acceleration model whereby we want to capacitate farmers, where we want to provide machinery making sure that all operations that are supposed to be done are done on time,” he said.

Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira urged the farmers to put to good use the equipment that has been donated.

“Arda is an arm of Government that was put in place to ensure that you, farmers are able to be productive. In the past you were not able to prepare for the next season on time because there was no equipment but now you are able to harvest your wheat on time. We have been given this machinery, you should put it to good use so that we accelerate our farming so that we are able to double our produce. Where we used to get two tonnes we should be able to get four tonnes,” he said.

Government is also working on the feasibility study for the Muzhwi-Mushandike canal which will see more people benefiting from the irrigation scheme with the number likely to rise from the 800 households who were benefiting to 3 200 households.