adminhomesteads and fields are along the Manjirenji Dam irrigation canal in Zaka.
Manjirenji Dam provides irrigation water mainly for the Mkwasine and Hippo Valley Sugar estates and resettled sugar farmers in the area.
The water flows along a 40 kilometre canal, which passes through villages.
Zinwa public relations manager, Mrs Majorie Munyonga, said the programme, which was expected to ease food security problems in the drought prone district, would also benefit hundreds of farmers who have since organised themselves into groups and irrigation schemes.
“Work is underway to put in place off-takes from the canal and divert water to the small-scale farmers in the area. The move to provide water to the farmers was a measure by the authority to ensure farmers benefit from the water resources in their area.
“For a long time these farmers have not been fully benefiting from the water resources and water infrastructure in their community, except for those who have been illegally siphoning water from the canal,” she said.
Most of the farmers who are set to benefit from the scheme have been irrigating their crops by illegally siphoning water from the canal using pipes.”
The farmers are currently engaged in horticulture, producing vegetables, which they sell to the local community and nearby areas such as Chiredzi, Masvingo and Mpandawana.
Mrs Munyonga said after completion of the water off-takes, there would be increased water supply with farmers expected to increase agriculture production and quality yields.
The beneficiaries will be paying for the irrigation water, a move that will see the authority increasing its revenue.
“We have come to realise that there is a lot of potential in these farmers, judging by the crops they have put in their fields. The authority will also see an improvement in revenue inflows since the farmers will now pay for the irrigation water,” she said.
Mrs Munyonga said the farmers have undertaken to start paying for the water.
Online Reporter