New irrigation scheme on cards

Luthando Mapepa Post Correspondent
ABOUT 5 000 household in Musirizwi Communal Lands of Chipinge are set to benefit from the completion of a 16km canal that is aimed to transform their lives through irrigation.This was said by the Deputy Minister of Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Dr Win Mlambo last week.

After completion of the canal, farmers in that area will have access to water throughout the year, thereby ending the water woes the community had endured over the years.

Dr Mlambo said farmers would be encouraged to prioritise market gardening.

“Yes, construction of a 16km canal is in progress and villagers are the main source of labour. We need to partner local authorities who will come with machinery to drill the rock side of the canal. There are well-wishers working with us to see that this project becomes a reality.

“We expect this project to benefit women mostly because they have been neglected for a long time in-terms of land ownership in the country,” he said.

“I am happy with the commitment being shown by locals in bringing sustainable development to their communities,” he said.

In an interview with the brainchild of the project, Headman Maunze Jenya, said he would make sure that the project becomes a success because the provision of water had been their stumbling block in having bumper harvest annually.

“We want to be self-reliant in this community because many household here survive on handouts from NGOs. If this project is completed many households will benefit from irrigation and we can also raise money out of it.

“The area has potential to produce beans, maize, tomatoes and vegetables which have a ready market in towns. Work on the project commenced last week after we received an approval letter from the council. As the headman, I will work hard to mobilise all my subjects to participate in this project,” he said.

The irrigation will uses gravity to move water from the weir into a 300mm pipe to the canal.The weir is 24 metres wide and 55 metres in length and helps to trap sand from entering the canal.

This type of irrigation is not new in the highlands of Chipinge, with some some villagers successfully completing the completion of a similar canal at Mugondi where more than 200 people are benefitting.