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Precious Manomano
Herald Reporter
Farmers have urged Government to increase investment in micro-irrigation, offer loan facilities for irrigation equipment, so all farmers, including small-holders, can cope with dry spells during rainy seasons and be able to plant during winter.
Farmers said irrigation schemes were critical for smallholder farmers to improve agricultural production, adding that Government’s move to introduce the system was greatly appreciated.
A Chinhoyi farmer Mr Larry Muenza said his crop which was under irrigation was doing well.
“We thank the Government for availing irrigation facilities,” he said.
“In summer season, we can continue with farming, we see the difference with those farmers without irrigation.”
Mr Taurai Mangisi of Katawa in Raffingora said because of climate change, rainfall patterns were no longer predictable and it was risky to depend on rain-fed agriculture.
“Some of us have been on the land for many years and we cannot be spoon-fed all the time. We ask for loan facilities where we can get irrigation equipment and pay in instalments.”
Mrs Tamari of Maheu Farm in Banket said she was banking on her Pfumvudza/Intwasa crops.
“We have a water source near our farm, but we do not have irrigation equipment. If we get an intervention we will be able to increase production even during winter,” she said.
Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers Trust Mrs Depinah Nkomo said most women farmers did not have irrigation facilities and urged the Government to invest even more in micro irrigation facilities.
“If every woman can have one hectare under irrigation, we will be able to boost production of earnings from agriculture,” she said. “We have the land and zeal to farm, but lack of irrigation facilities is affecting us. With irrigation we can grow different types of crops throughout the year and increase profits.”
The Government, under the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development programme, has started resuscitating communal irrigation schemes nationwide, a key enabler to improved yields and livestock production for smallholder farmers.
Increased agricultural production and productivity will in turn, enhance incomes, increase opportunities for value addition and the development of agribusiness value chains.
For the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme, Government partnered with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, OPEC Fund for International Development and the farmers, to implement the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme which started in 2016.
The seven-year programme, which runs until this year, will revitalise 6 100ha in 60 irrigation schemes in the four provinces of Masvingo, Manicaland, Matabeleland South and Midlands.
These 60 irrigation schemes will directly impact 8 500 households and an additional 19 000 rain fed households in the surrounding areas will receive capacity building support.
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