US$1 million Tshikwalakwala Irrigation Scheme upgrade complete

GOVERNMENT, in partnership with the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), has completed resuscitating Tshikwalakwala Irrigation Scheme in Beitbridge District, Matabeleland South.

Located some 130km east of the border town, the 65-hectare irrigation scheme had not been operating at full capacity for 15 years. Canals, water points and the perimeter fence had been damaged until the Government stepped in around 2019.

After 15 years of watching in agony the demise of a once-thriving irrigation project, farmers’ hopes have been rekindled following the intervention by Government.

A total of US$1 million was invested to rehabilitate Tshikwalakwala Irrigation Scheme.

Government intervened to save the irrigation project from total collapse through the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Program (SIRP).

Under the programme, the irrigation system was mechanised with solar plants which can generate a combined 129 kilowatts of power, and eight more boreholes were drilled. The solar plants can irrigate up to 1 000 hectares.

A total of 126 plot holders working with the Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services have cleared 30 hectares under phase one and they planted maize, soya beans, and wheat.

The farmers are supplying the local market and delivering the surplus to the Grain Marketing Board. At the moment the farmers have put 13 ha under maize.

The project was handed over to the community last year who said in different interviews this week that they were relieved and hoping for better days ahead.

Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services district officer Mr Masauso Mawocha said there is progress on the ground.

“Plot holders have shown a lot of commitment in getting the project working to full capacity. The farmers have been growing beans, wheat and maize, and they have also pooled resources to procure a perimeter fence, and also fixing broken-down water points,” he said.

“At the moment they have grown maize on 13 hectares which is in good condition and at the maturity stage.”

Mr Mawocha said so far the farmers cleared 22 hectares of land out of a target of 65 hectares.

A plotholder at the project, Mr Aaron Baloyi said the community is grateful to Government and its partners for the intervention.

“We are considering erecting an electric fence as a long-term plan to deter wild animals from destroying key infrastructure and crops. As a community, we also commended Government for its intervention and boosting our source of livelihood,” he said.

Mr Baloyi said the farmers used to rely on three diesel-powered pumps, which was costly.

“When the project started running last year it had 113 plot holders and the number has increased to 126. Following the first harvest of maize, most plotholders had started tilling the land and are now seeing value in the project,” he said.

Government also intends to extend the current 65 hectares to 90 hectares with 25 hectares earmarked for citrus farming.

Another plot holder, Mrs Saliwe Sithole said the project has created a new revenue stream for the local community.

Zimbabwe is an agrarian economy with most of the country’s sectors being directly and indirectly linked to the agricultural sub-sector.

Government under the Second Republic is targeting the transformation of rural and urban economies through the enhancement of food, nutrition, markets, and jobs using value chains as a means of achieving a prosperous, inclusive, diverse, sustainable and competitive agriculture sector.

Zimbabwe envisages to be an upper middle-income economy by 2030 and agriculture is critical in the attainment of that vision, with the sector targeting to become a US$8,2 billion economy by 2025. — @tupeyo