Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube,Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) has started planting rain fed sunflower and sorghum at Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme in Binga.
Arda chief Executive Mr Tinotenda Mhiko yesterday said already 50ha of sorghum have been planted out of the targeted 100ha and the crop has started germinating, while the sunflower crop will be put on 150ha.
A total of 250ha were cleared and already tilled at the scheme which is set to be 15 000ha once the whole fenced area is cleared.
“We have resolved to plant sorghum and sunflower and there is a lot of progress so far. With the recently announced sunflower prices, the crop is one of the profitable crops and we want to put 150ha of it and the other 100ha on sorghum,” said Mr Mhiko.
He said fencing of the scheme has been completed after the perimeter fence had been destroyed by wild animals.
Mr Mhiko said there is still time for planting considering that meaningful rains started being received recently.
He commended Government for capacitating Arda saying this had made it easy for the parastatal to prepare land for farming.
Arda recently received 40 tractors from Government for use at its various estates countrywide.
“We applaud Government for the recent support through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement which capacitated us with tractors for land preparation. This is the reason why we finished preparing land in time,” he said.
Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme is envisaged to promote food and nutrition security in the dry district and Matabeleland North Province, as well as the country as a whole, especially in the wake of effects of climate change and recurrent droughts.
Government put the Arda in charge of Bulawayo Kraal taking over from the Department of Irrigation which had been managing the project over the years.
Pipe bursts have over the years derailed efforts to fully implement the project which at one stage employed close to 200 people.
Arda has since awarded a tender to re-do some piping works and work is underway to repair and redirect pipes, which includes installing a new pumping and piping system drawing water from the nearby Zambezi River push back to the site.
There will be a new engine and an overnight storage dam and a pump engine with a capacity to pump 315 cubic metres of water per hour has been installed.
The current pipeline is 10km long.
In total, there are seven centre pivots on site although only three were being used.
The New Dispensation led by President Mnangagwa committed itself to the implementation of the scheme as it prioritises the revival of the agricultural sector through the development of irrigation schemes to alleviate food insecurity and poverty particularly in rural communities.
The scheme’s chairperson Mr Titus Munkuli said there is need to speed up planting to fully implement the irrigation project.
“We have seen some progress lately especially in replacing old pipes and planting. They have promised to give 50ha to the beneficiaries who will directly benefit from the produce and this simply shows good intentions by the Government through the scheme,” he said.
Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme has 99 members from Dumbwe and Bulawayo Kraal villages.
Once fully implemented, the scheme will see the nearby Manjolo area being transformed into a fully-fledged growth point with residential compounds for workers, a police station and clinic.
— @ncubeleon
Online Reporter