Turn southern region into green belt: VP Mohadi

VICE President Kembo Mohadi has said the southern region of the country could be turned into a green belt through establishing more water bodies and setting up vibrant irrigation schemes to ensure increased food production.

Speaking during a peace building and reconciliation meeting with the traditional leaders in Masvingo last week, he said the reality of climate change requires the country to invest more on irrigation and building more dams for food security purposes.

His sentiments come on the back of concerns over delays in finalising the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam master plan, which potential investors blame for limited economic value derived from the giant water body.

“Water bodies are many this side of the country. Since we are affected by climate change, we would want to get our food through irrigation from the water bodies found here,” said VP Mohadi.

“The Tugwi-Mukosi Dam master plan has always been our priority. We have espoused a policy where all the 10 provinces should have at least 200 hectares of land put under irrigation.

“The Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and the Ministry and Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Ministry have been entrusted to come up with a master plan for Tugwi-Mukosi.

“However, first to be worked on is agriculture where we target 25 000 hectares of irrigable land but initially we should work on 1 500 hectares. The master plan requires a huge sum of money for it to be done,” he said.

VP Mohadi said the second phase should involve a number of opportunities that include tourism and hospitality industry.

“The dam catchment should see a number of investments. This also includes setting up of a town but as what I have alluded to, wildlife management, tourism and hospitality but priority will be given to irrigation,” he said.

The Vice President said Government was also seized with the construction of TendeRunde Dam in Mwenezi District, which will be another big water body set to help create irrigation opportunities in the area.

Meanwhile, VP Mohadi admitted that progress on widening of the Beitbridge –Harare –Chirundu Highway was slow and cited lack of resources as the major reason.

The highway will not be dualised as earlier planned but widened, he said.

The tender to dualise the road was initially awarded to Geiger International from Austria but the contractor did not have the financial muscle to undertake it, which prompted the Government to cancel the deal last year. — @ walterbmswazie2