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Post Correspondent
WITH agriculture being one of the key economic drivers, irrigation rehabilitations have become the order of the day countrywide.In Manicaland, several initiatives to boost horticulture farming are being spearheaded especially in areas where horticulture used to be rife and such programmes have become a linchpin towards empowering communal farmers in rural communities.
During a tour of Mutambara Irrigation Scheme on Tuesday where there is a canal irrigation lining programme funded by World Vision, it was highlighted that the programme was not only refurbishing the earth canals, but also creating employment and skills transfer to the locals on how to build and maintain the canals.
A total of 60 locals including men and women have been employed by Comhold (Ltd) which was contracted by World Vision to undertake the canal irrigation lining programme, with each person earning $7 a day.
The programme which started on August 25 is expected to be complete by end of this month (October).
Mutambara Irrigation Scheme which is 40 acres in total has 3.8 kilometers of earth canals in the different farming blocks which range from Block One to Four.
Comhold site foreman, Mr Francis Hahlani, said they had already lined up 3.5 kilometers and were on schedule to meet the deadline.
Chimanimani West legislator and Deputy Minister of Energy and Power Development, Engineer Munacho Mutezo, said the lining of the canals would avoid seepage and water loss which was the major problem with earth canals.
He added that once the canals were lined and functional, two clusters on food security and nutrition and infrastructure and utilities under ZimAsset would have been dealt with.
Eng Mutezo said what was important was moving away from being ‘donor spoon fed to being taught how to catch fish.’
“Donors have always been there, but what is important under ZimAsset is that we have moved away from being donor spoon fed to learning how to catch our own fish.
“We are working with our development partners and learning in the process. As communities, let us continue to steer our own developmental plans because this is our country and we should show goodwill about our own development.
“Some might wonder what is Zim-Asset. This is the ZimAsset you are driving here. For Word Vision to fund these programmes it is because President Mugabe set parameters to the funding and how it should be done,” said Eng Mutezo.
Manicaland provincial women’s league vice-chairperson, Cde Loveness Mutezo, said rehabilitation programmes of irrigation canals would increase productivity at the plots and ensure poverty eradication in Chimanimani.
“We want to increase productivity and ensure that each family has enough to eat and surplus to sell.
“This soil is very rich and with sufficient water supply we can see a major economic boost from agriculture in Chimanimani,” said Cde Mutezo.
Ward 4 councillor, Cde Tendai Chikosha, said there were a lot of perennial water sources like Ruwaka River and Umvumvumvu River where water for irrigation can be tapped.
He said the Guhune community was very forthcoming in assisting donor partners with labour even where there was no money involved.
The irrigation officer from the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, who is overseeing the project by Comhold, Ms Alice Chikwanha, said the plots were key for horticulture produce and can be worked on throughout the year.
In past years, the Guhune area was known for extensively supplying green beans, tomatoes, onions and cabbages throughout the year.
Online Reporter