Water woes affect Umguza irrigation scheme

Nobukhosi Ncube, Farming Reporter

FARMERS at Redwood Vukusebenze Irrigation Scheme in Umguza District, Matabeleland North Province have failed to fully utilise their agricultural enterprise for over 15 years due to insufficient water supplies.

Redwood Vukusebenze Irrigation Scheme chairperson Mr Mthokozisi Lunga said efforts to fully utilise the 60 hectares of arable land at the 100-hectare scheme have failed since its inception in 2004 due to inadequate boreholes to harness water for irrigation.

“We have over the years been struggling to irrigate the entire arable land at this scheme, only managing 25 hectares because we are drawing water from only two boreholes instead of five. The other three boreholes broke down and haven’t been repaired for some time. Due to these water challenges we are also failing to realise optimum yields from our crops,” he said.

The irrigation scheme, which is home to 25 members was allocated three tractors, a horse reel, two planters, two-disc harrows and a plough late in 2015 under the More Food Africa a US$98 million 15-year loan facility provided by Brazil to support small-scale farmers.

“We haven’t had electricity for the past three weeks owing to a fault and our maize crop which we cropped on 25 hectares is now withering from moisture stress. We also wanted to crop two hectares of soya beans but due to the water and electricity challenges we are facing, we are now considering cropping only a hectare,” said Mr Lunga.

Matabeleland North Department of Irrigation provincial chief engineer Charles Makhula confirmed the development but hinted that plans were underway to assist the irrigation scheme.

“It is within the Ministry (of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Settlement)’s plans to help Redwood irrigation scheme. Actually, a budget of $1 million has been set to aid their irrigation scheme. As for now, we are drafting its procurement papers and we are expecting that to be done by August this year. The funds will also help in paying borehole drillers and the contractors . . . ,” he said.