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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Zanu-PF Politburo member Dr Aron Maboyi has called on Government and its partners to fully utilise Zhovhe Dam in Beitbridge West to boost agriculture production.
He said the dam could be used to address water challenges in the border town and at the same time turning the area into a greenbelt.
Dr Maboyi said Beitbridge people had only themselves to blame if they did not make use of the town’s abundant natural resources to turn their lives around.
He made the remarks last week during a party interface meeting in Swereki area.
“Presently, we are in the midst of a devastating drought, but if we were fully utilising some water bodies we could mitigate its effects through irrigation-based farming for both food crops and fodder for our livestock,” he said.
“The advantage we have is that the dam is on high ground and the water can be distributed to most places here through gravitation. I call upon communities to come up with the projects they want implemented aided by the availability of water bodies such as the Zhovhe Dam.
“At the same time Government must come up with deliberate programmes to develop irrigation-based farming to counter the effects of drought.”
Dr Maboyi said it was important to involve traditional leaders and members of the community in implementing projects that affected their well-being.
This, he said, would help get their buy-in and promote progress rather than imposing programmes on the people.
He said Beitbridge had vast investment opportunities especially in livestock production and related industries, irrigation-based farming, tourism and infrastructure development among others.
It has been calculated that Zhovhe Dam, with a capacity of 133 million cubic metres, can supply Beitbridge town with water for three years, when 100 percent full, giving insurance against drouhgt plus a margin that can be used for irrigation
The town needs any average of 18 megalitres of water per day.
Beitbridge Paramount Chief Vho Stauze (David Mbedzi) recently urged Government to avail funds for the construction of a 63km-long Zhovhe-Beitbridge water canal.
The project is expected to turn the 63km into a greenbelt through the setting up of irrigation schemes and other horticulture projects on its course to Beitbridge town.
The town draws its water from Zhovhe Dam and the Limpopo River.
He said people in the area were worried that civil works were progressing at a snail’s pace.
“The Zhovhe issue should be accorded the urgency it deserves, so that people may benefit from resources around them and be able to turn around their lives,” he said.
Zhovhe Dam was constructed in 1995 and is one of the 10 biggest water bodies in the country.
Online Reporter