Chronicle EditorThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The United National Development Programme (UNDP) has availed $5,3 million to boost agricultural production in Beitbridge and Nyanga districts under a three-year Zimbabwe Resilience Programme.
The project, which is being implemented through the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, is expected to take off in the first week of next month. The International Rescue Committee is leading the implementation of the programme that is being rolled out by a consortium made up of Cesvi, Matopos Research Centre and Bio-Hub.
Addressing a stakeholders meeting in Beitbridge at the weekend, IRC coordinator Ms Silvia Khumalo said the programme would include the rehabilitation of nine irrigation schemes in Beitbridge and the development of non-timber forests.
“In Nyanga, we will work more on the development of non-timber forests and mechanised agriculture,” she said. “Some of the irrigation schemes which will be resuscitated in Beitbridge are Bili, Shashe, Jalukanga, Dombolidenje, River Ranch, Tongwe, Kwalu, Tshikwalakwala and Ndambe 2. “These will receive different assistance depending on their state. Cesvi will be the lead agency in Beitbridge. Dry land farming is not viable in the district and hence the need to prioritise irrigation farming.”
Ms Khumalo said they were working on training irrigation schemes’ members and agriculture extension workers on the scope of the programme. She said Matopos Research Centre will focus more on the animal husbandry aspect of the programme, while Bio-Hub would concentrate on issues relating to natural resources. Under the programme, villagers would be capacitated with modern farming techniques and improving resilience.
“We want to work on the value chain and commercialising most community run projects to increase viability and economic returns,” she said. “It is very critical that at the end of programme more people will be self-sustaining and be able to adapt to the changes in market forces and life challenges.” Cesvi Head of Mission Mr Loris Palentini said they had already conducted a need assessment in the benefiting irrigation schemes. He said they had selected projects with bigger hectares to increase the numbers of households who could benefit at community level.
“The issues needing attention range from adequate irrigation water, irrigation infrastructure, electrification, fencing and marketing analysis,” said Mr Palentini. Acting Beitbridge District Administrator Mr Jason Mugodzwa said other development agencies should emulate the UNDP and work on rehabilitation key infrastructure, including boreholes and roads in the area.
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