Massive irrigation infrastructure rehabilitation in Hwange
THE Department of Irrigation is involved in an extensive irrigation scheme infrastructural rehabilitation and development programme in Hwange district aimed at ensuring optimum crop yields.
Matabeleland North provincial chief irrigation engineer Charles Makhula said the Department of Irrigation with the assistance of two contractors namely Waterweb and Lymat was carrying out rehabilitation at the 19 hectare Chentali, Lambo (three hectares) and Makwa (15 hectares) irrigation schemes.
“We are involved in a rehabilitation programme which covers irrigation schemes in Hwange. At Chentali we are doing repairs to the scheme’s water supplies which are the canals and overnight storage tank. At Lambo we are also repairing the canals and replacing the gate valves while at Lukosi we are repairing the water pipeline and canals,” said Eng Makhula.
He said the rehabilitation work was expected to be completed before the end of October.
“We expect to finish the rehabilitation work within the next two months and we largely anticipate that it will come in handy in line with the Command Agriculture programme,” said Eng Makhula.
Government launched the $500 million Command Agriculture Scheme last month and registration of farmers to participate under the programme started early this month. The programme, which aims to produce two million tonnes of maize on 400 000 hectares of land, will see identified farmers being given inputs, irrigation and mechanised equipment.
Eng Makhula said the Department of Irrigation through the assistance of developmental partner, Caford Foundation was also installing solar equipment to be used for drawing water to the five hectare Chezya Irrigation Scheme. The scheme is home to over 30 farmers.
“We are converting Chezya Irrigation Scheme from being powered by electricity to solar because farmers there were having difficulties in paying bills. Generally we have power deficits in the country and the installation of the solar-powered irrigation infrastructure complements energy availability.
“It will go a long way in ensuring that the farmers channel their disposable income towards enhancing their scheme. We expect the solar installation programme to be complete by next week (this week) and we were also looking at having Lambo and Makwa irrigation schemes being solar-powered if funds are available,” he said.
Eng Makhula said irrigation development in Hwange was of paramount importance towards enhancing food security as the district receives very low annual rainfall rendering rainfed cropping almost futile.
“Hwange is a predominantly very dry area so in terms of food security there is need for increased yields thus any development towards irrigation is welcome and also it ensures there is variety in terms of nutrition from an array of vegetables that will be cropped at the schemes,” he said.
Due to lower rainfall, water scarcity in general as well as less fertile soils commercial crops cannot be grown and rural farmers usually cannot produce enough maize to feed their families thus they rely mostly on small grains such as sorghum and pearl millet.
“The irrigation schemes also assist farmers in income generation as they use the money realised from the projects to fend for their families, payment of school fees for their children, medical bills among other necessities.
“There is also employment creation with the farmers hiring tractors to till their land, trucks to ferry their produce as well as labour at the schemes. In essence irrigation schemes are more of sub-economic zones,” said Eng Makhula.