Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE country has sufficient grain reserves to meet national requirements despite poor harvests in some provinces in the 2021/22 season due to the effects of climate change, a Cabinet Minister has said.
This comes as Government has released $600 million to start community irrigation projects to enhance food security and nutrition in all districts.
In an interview, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka said climate change is real as evidenced by effects of weather patterns on the 2021-2022 farming season.
He said the country expects to get 1,7 million metric tonnes compared to a national requirement of 2,2 million metric tonnes on cereals.
The minister said while there are sufficient grain reserves to meet the needs of the country, Government has already come up with a contingency measure to import between 300 000 and 400 000 metric tonnes largely by the private sector.
“All dry provinces like Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South were drastically affected by climate change which affected harvests.
In cereals, we expect 1,7 million metric tonnes nationally out of a national requirement of 2,2 million metric tonnes.
“However, we have sufficient grain reserves to be able to meet our social welfare needs but climate change is real.
What is needed is that we consolidate our climate proofing efforts and this is in two ways,” said Dr Masuka.
He said firstly there is a need from citizens, especially smallholder farmers to embrace Intwasa/Pfumvudza farming model and secondly, ensure that all varieties and livestock produced in a particular region are actually determined by agro-economic zones and not what the farmers want.
Dr Masuka said construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani which is over 66 percent complete, will spur development of agriculture in Matabeleland North through irrigation.
He said contractors on the ground have said the completion deadline will be met and this will boost Government’s Vision 2030 accelerator model particularly the establishment of 200ha plots along the 252km pipeline to Bulawayo.
Chinese engineers, China Water and Electric Corp, won the tender to develop Lake Gwayi-Shangani and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority is in charge of the project on behalf of Government.
The construction of the dam will transform Matabeleland North as irrigation projects will be established along the 252km pipeline thereby turning the region into a greenbelt and also provide a permanent solution to Bulawayo’s water problems.
Government has identified irrigable land covering 10 000ha in Binga, Hwange, Lupane, Tsholotsho and Umguza areas where the pipeline will pass through.
Dr Masuka said rural development is key.
“We expect that by 30 June we would have substantially completed the dam and engineers on the ground are saying 66 percent is what has been done to date.
So, all 11 contractors doing the 252km pipeline are on the ground and with additional resources from Treasury and pipes coming, we are able to accelerate and expect to meet the deadline by the end of the year.
“We anticipate that land made up of the Vision 2030 accelerator models will be identified for communities in the five districts through which the pipeline passes.
Government has already availed $600 million this year to start these community irrigation projects,” he said.
-@ncubeleon
Online Reporter
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