Lrrigation plots for 253 farmers

GREEN FUEL last week handed over irrigation farming plots to at least 253 villagers in Chinyamukwakwa, Chipinge South.

The development comes at a time when Government is calling for the development of irrigation schemes to help in the transformation of communities as the country works towards attaining Vision 2030.

The hand-over of the plots to 253 beneficiaries, with a total hectarage of 126,5 hectares, brings to a total of 1 460 beneficiaries since Green Fuel started the programme.

Each household received a 0,5ha irrigation plot.Speaking during the hand-over ceremony, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka said the handing over of the irrigation plots to Chinyamukwakwa villagers demonstrates the tangible results of the public and private sectors partnership that seek to transform the economy.

“Through consultation with Government, Green Fuel has resolved to develop 10 percent of all land under sugarcane farming for the benefit of the community in the form of irrigation plots and Government is pleased with the progress made so far as the company developed 25 percent of the targeted hectares.

“The development compliments Government’s efforts of turning dry land areas into greenbelts. Hundreds of people in this community will be provided with the necessary infrastructure which will sustain their farming all year round for their own benefit and the country at large,” he said.

Minister Masuka said Government aims to transform the rural population from subsistence farmers to supply oriented farmers.

“A total of 61 percent of the rural population will be transformed into supply oriented farmers, while 360 000 A1 farmers will be transformed into commercial farmers,” he said.

One of the irrigation plot beneficiaries, Mr Joseph Mashava welcomed the development and said the irrigation plots will transform their lives. “Our area falls under Natural Region Five and we hardly harvest anything from the fields due to the poor rains we receive year-in, year-out. We used to farm large pieces of land, but the yields were poor because of shortage of rains. “Now we have irrigation plots and are now utilising these farms all year round, we hope our lives will be transformed for the better.

“We are now business people in our own right as we will be growing cash crops,” said Mr Mashava

Secretary for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Edgars Seenza urged the locals to take farming seriously.

“Government is now checking the Ward based GDP, which is now helping policy makers to come up with the district GDP to feed into the provincial master plan.

“This will also determine the allocation of resources,” said Mr Seenza.