Govt to develop 450ha irrigation scheme at Osborne Dam

HEAVY reliance on rain-fed farming that over the years has turned to be a recipe for disaster due to droughts and mid-season dry spells is set to be a thing of the past for the Nyamajura community in Mutare North with the establishment of a 450-hectare irrigation scheme at Osborne Dam.

The Nyamajura community has over the years has been grappling with acute food shortages and poverty despite its proximity to Osborne Dam, the biggest water reservoir in Manicaland.

Government, through the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), is expected to construct a 450ha scheme — the biggest to draw water from the dam — to mitigate against the impact of climate change-induced droughts and mid-season dry spells.

Osborne, which is the largest dam in Manicaland, sitting on 2 600 hectares of land straddling three districts — Mutasa, Makoni and Mutare — has a full supply capacity of 401 620 megalitres, enough to irrigate 10 000ha in the long term.

Manicaland Provincial Irrigation Engineer, Engineer Tendai Chimunhu confirmed the development, and said the identification of the contractor to develop the scheme under the Vision 2030 accelerator model is being finalised with work expected to begin early next year.

Irrigation development is guided by the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development, targeting to achieve 350 000ha by 2025 in line with National Development Strategy (NDS)1, and the full utilisation of water from Osborne, Mpudzi, Ruti, Mwarazi and Marowanyati dams regarded as key to transforming livelihoods of communities around dry regions with idle water bodies.

Feasibility studies and preliminary indications show that a hydro-power generation plant can be developed at

Osborne Dam for the purposes of generating power and irrigation, since electricity is critical to irrigation.

“The project is expected to start in 2024 under the turnkey arrangement in which the contractor, whose procurement is being finalised, will develop the scheme as per designs and hand it over to the client when complete.

“About 450 families in villages 1A, Two, Three and Four in Nyamajura in Mutare North Constituency will irrigate a hectare each, and in the long term, water from the dam will fully be utilised through a 26km canal from Nyamajura passing through a number of old resettlements and A1 farmers up to Mutare-Harare Highway.

“This will double the province’s irrigating capacity and food, cash crop and livestock related production as well as revive the agro-processing factories for value addition and beneficiation. The processes to identify the project implementer under the turnkey agreement is already underway,” he said.

Engineer Chimunhu said the project will be key to NDS1 which seeks to revolutionise agriculture and mitigate against drought through rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation projects and increased construction of dams.

Mutare North Member of Parliament, Honourable Admire Mahachi said the project will be the biggest to draw water from Osborne Dam.

“Apart from Marange Irrigation Scheme (330ha), Hamamaoko (80ha) and Arda Transau (110ha) that draw water from the dam — the bulk of the water is periodically released to irrigate sugarcane estates in the Lowveld, while communities that are proximity to the dam grapple with food shortages and poverty.

“We are happy that the Second Republic, under the able leadership of President Mnangagwa has corrected this by coming to the rescue of the people with the first phase to develop a 450ha scheme coming to fruition early next year.

“The Nyamajura area alone has up to 5 000ha of arable land that can be irrigated, and act as a mitigating measure against droughts and mid-season dry spells.

“This intervention by Government will enable irrigators to grow crops throughout the year and intensify production, thereby creating employment, increasing rural income, ensuring food and nutrition security as well as transforming rural livelihoods,” said Honourable Mahachi.

Manicaland, like the other 10 provinces is contributing towards NDS1 target through irrigation rehabilitation and development with funding from Government (PSIP), Government in partnership with International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), Green Climate Fund (GCF), Practical Action, United Nations Office for Projects Services (UNOPS) and food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), among others.

Manicaland this year saw the completion of Chiduku-Tikwiri (260ha), Chitemene and Chibuwe irrigation schemes (376ha), while rehabilitation of Cashel Valley (620ha) is progressing well at 71 percent.

The project is funded to the tune of US$5.2 million under the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme by Government in partnership with (IFAD).

Under the same programme, work is at 76 percent to develop the first phase (384ha) at Romsley Irrigation Scheme in Makoni South.

So far, 24 centre pivots have been installed, with the rehabilitation of two overnight storage dams complete, and construction of the third one in progress.

Government in partnership with the World Bank and AfDB successfully restored irrigation infrastructure vandalised by Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts and also completed feasibility for Rimbi Irrigation Scheme.