Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Senior Reporter
THE Government has moved to unlock the agricultural potential of drought-prone Beitbridge District through the development of the Zhovhe Irrigation Scheme, which will place about 4 500 hectares under irrigation while also improving water supplies to Beitbridge town.
The Department of Irrigation under the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation, Water Resources Development (MAMWRD) has invited locally registered construction firms to express interest in undertaking the major water conveyance infrastructure project, which is expected to transform agricultural production and strengthen livelihoods in the district.
The project will draw water from Zhovhe Dam, commissioned in 1996 and channel it to agricultural areas and communities along the Mzingwane River.
Government said the project was designed to support economic and social development in Beitbridge while benefiting commercial farming areas and communal lands.
“The project aims to support the economic and social development in Beitbridge District, specifically Ferguson, Bishopstone and Cawood Ranches together with Mtetengwe, Mabidi and Malala communal lands situated along the left bank of Mzingwane River,” reads part of the notice.
The scheme will irrigate 4 500 hectares, comprising 2 500 hectares of existing fields and 2 000 hectares of new irrigation development, while providing additional water for Beitbridge town.
“The major works comprise construction of a 57km conveyance canal and associated ancillary structures, including a 4km, 2m diameter concrete siphon across the Mzingwane River to supply adequate and sustainable water from Zhovhe Dam to irrigate about 4,500 hectares of agricultural lands (of which 2,500 Ha are existing fields and 2,000 Ha) are new additional and also supply water to Beitbridge town.”
The development is expected to have a significant impact on agricultural production in the district, where reliable water supplies are critical to sustaining farming and rural livelihoods.
Government has secured financing from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) for construction of the water conveyance canal and electro-mechanical services infrastructure.
The current Expression of Interest (EOI) process will enable the Government to assess the technical and financial capacity of potential contractors before selecting firms to participate in the detailed tendering process.
“The Purpose of the EOI is to assess the capability of the construction firms to carry out the construction of the works and to select a limited number of firms for short listing for invitation to submit detailed tenders.”
The opportunity is restricted to locally registered Zimbabwean companies, associations or joint ventures between such firms, potentially giving domestic construction companies a role in implementing a major national irrigation and water infrastructure project.
Beyond expanding agricultural production, the Zhovhe scheme is expected to strengthen food and water security, support communal livelihoods and create new opportunities for commercial farming in Beitbridge.
The project also fits into the Government’s broader drive to expand irrigation infrastructure and reduce the vulnerability of agriculture to erratic rainfall, particularly in the country’s drought-prone areas.
The development carries a dual economic dividend for Bietbridge in expanding the productive agricultural base while improving the reliability of water supplies to the border town and surrounding communities.
