Heavy rains destroy roads, Zim farmers left stranded
CHIPENDEKE: After two consecutive seasons of drought, heavy rains finally promise a good harvest in most parts of Zimbabwe’s Manicaland province. But farmers now face a new challenge: washedout roads that will make it difficult to get their crops to market.
As harvesting time for tobacco, maize and other crops approaches, fears abound that roads made impassable by rain will not be repaired in time.
“There are no roads. They were washed away by the heavy rains,” said Liberty Kuhudzai, a farmer in Chipendeke, about 70km south of Mutare. “We have potatoes which are ready for the market but we can’t take them. And soon, the maize and other crops will be ready for the market too.”
Chipendeke is one of the most vibrant small-scale farming areas in far eastern Zimbabwe. Farmers have potatoes, groundnuts, maize and various vegetables in the ground; in winter, they grow wheat, beans, tomatoes and other vegetables.
But their main market is in Mutare, and their farming area is connected to the main Mutare-Masvingo highway by a gravel road that snakes along the treacherous edges of the Chitora River.
Near Chipendeke Primary School, sections of the road are missing. In other areas, bridges are broken or what remains of the roads are muddy and slippery.
“We have tried to repair the roads using our own resources but as soon as we finish the heavy rains come again and wash everything away,” Kuhudzai said. “We don’t know what to do. Without the road we are stuck.”
Catherine Nyakunuhwa, a banana farmer in Honde Valley, said the poor state of the roads meant some of her harvest was lost, affecting her business. “It’s taking too long to reach market and we are losing a lot of money because they rot before they were ferried.
“We are appealing to the government to help us repair the roads,” she said, as she sifted through a big basket of rotten bananas to see if any good ones remained. “Farming is our only source of livelihood and we need good roads to the market.”
Nyakunuhwa said some farmers lost $100 (R1 263) worth of bananas in a day.
Zimbabwe’s Meteorological Services Department in late February said Manicaland received the heaviest rains – “in some cases record-breaking rainfall”, it said.
The situation has been made worse by Tropical Cyclone Dineo which hit parts of the country at the end of February.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo said it was working with the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to rehabilitate bad or dangerous roads in urban and rural areas.
Responding to a question from Francis Mukwangwariwa, ann MP from Zvimba East constituency, Gumbo said on live television from parliament earlier this month that the government needed $100 million to rebuild bridges and the road networks.
“We are in tobacco selling season and people need to take their tobacco to auction,” Mukwangwariwa said.
Gumbo said the Ministry of Finance had set aside $15m to rebuild roads and was trying to acquire $50m in loans through the Zimbabwe National Road Authority.
Kuhudzai was not convinced the government would move fast enough to make repairs. “Do you think the government will start with our road?” – Reuters