$400m for Marovanyati irrigation schemes

04 Mar, 2022 - 00:03 0 Views
$400m for Marovanyati irrigation schemes Eng Chimunhu

The ManicaPost

 

Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter

GOVERNMENT has set aside $406 million for the development of commercially-run centre pivot irrigation system projects downstream the recently commissioned Marovanyati Dam in Buhera as part of the rural transformation strategy.

Marovanyati was fast-tracked to completion by the Second Republic between 2017 and 2020 as part of the strategic and wider efforts to foster reliable access to irrigation water for communities where the impact of climate change is being strongly felt.

The first phase will see two irrigation schemes — Guwanda (100ha) and Kwarire (400ha) being prioritised this year.

The other projects that will harness water from Marovanyati Dam include Muguta, Chipudzana, St Alban’s, Nyashanu and Bhidhiri-Chiwenga.

The projects will see a cumulative 1 250 hectares of agricultural land being put under centre pivot irrigation to improve food and nutritional security, create employment and transform livelihoods in the drought-stricken district.

Buhera falls under Ecological Region Five, and this season 85 percent of the crops, including traditional grains, have been written-off due to the current prolonged dry spell.

A delegation led by Mr Temba Chikandiwa, a director in the office of the Minister of State in the Office of the Vice-President, Honourable David Marapira, was on Wednesday in Buhera to ascertain the proposed irrigation blocs, progress made so far and challenges being encountered in implementing the projects.

Mr Chikandiwa said the designs for the two schemes are already complete and funds also readily available.

“We are mandated to monitor the implementation of special agriculture programmes. We are in Buhera to tour proposed blocs of Marovanyati irrigation projects to check the progress in their implementation.

“So far, the designs and the mapping of irrigation blocs have been done. Government has allocated $406m for the two projects and we expect to have something tangible in terms of implementation in the next three months,” said Mr Chikandiwa.

 

Mrs Makichi

The two projects are expected to benefit more than 1 000 beneficiaries.

Manicaland Provincial Irrigation officer, Engineer Tendai Chimunhu said the Kwarire and Guwanda schemes will be under centre pivot irrigation system.

“It is now Government policy that irrigation development be done in tandem with the dam construction.

At Marovanyati, we are slightly behind since the concept came after construction of the dam, and we are trying to extend part of the dam construction contract to cover the first phase of the irrigation development at Guwanda, which is directly opposite the existing Murambinda Irrigation Scheme on the left bank of the dam.

“It will abstract water from the same weir as the existing scheme. Since the weir is already there, we will construct conveyance and the in-field.

“We will make use of the existing weir to divert water on the left bank. The two projects have been allocated $406m and we are good to go when the processes are completed. The projects have a combined 500ha, but the projects to be supported by the dam will cover an area of 1 250ha,” said Eng Chimunhu.

“At Kwarire, we will construct a weir on Mwerihari River, and divert pumped water into a night storage dam. We will put a pipeline there so that from the night storage dam water gravitates to centre pivots.

“We are developing centre pivot irrigation system which can be run commercially. We are looking at a commercial irrigation system owned and run by the farmers to make small-holder irrigation systems sustainable.

“The model we are implementing is hinged on business matrix to ensure viability and sustainability. Farmers should be able to benefit from the investment in line with Government’s rural transformation strategy.

“The thrust is to transform rural areas into developed centres, and for that to happen farmers must have money in their pockets,” said Eng Chimunhu.

He said irrigation development is the panacea to climate change induced drought in the district.

Manicaland Provincial Agritex Officer, Mrs Phillipa Rwambiwa said about 85 percent of the crops in Buhera has succumbed to the current dry spell, making irrigation a viable alternative.

She said areas where the blocs are situated have good red soils and with a good irrigation facility, the communities will have sustainable livelihoods.

The new irrigation scheme came as a huge relief to locals who have been largely relying on food relief.

Mrs Rhodah Makichi (43) said the project should be implemented swiftly to mitigate the adverse climatic conditions affecting them.

“We receive poor rains and our crops wilt before reaching maturity. We are starving as a result. We hope this project will materialise and enable us to grow food to feed our families and improve our standard of living.

“This year, the entire crop is a complete write off. This project must be implemented immediately to save lives and extricate us from poverty,” she said.

Mrs Matinetsa Mukucha of Kwarire Village said the local community is fired up and keen to offer free labour to make the project a reality.

“We want this project to take off immediately. Our crops were scorched by the dry conditions being experienced. Relying on rain-fed farming has proved to be a waste of time and resources. We can only improve our livelihoods and be able to send our kids to school through sustainable irrigation farming,” she said.

 

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