THE Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development has successfully rehabilitated the Mundi-Mataga Biri Extension irrigation scheme in Mberengwa, which ceased operations following floods experienced in February last year, damaging infrastructure.
BY BRIAN KAZUNGU
New equipment was provided through the Brazilian-funded More Food for Africa Programme launched in May this year.
Speaking at a field day in Mberengwa recently, the scheme’s chairperson, Dorcas Masendu, said at least 251 families farming on 117 hectares benefitted from the initiative after battling starvation for a year.
“When the irrigation pipes were swept away by the floods, life became very difficult to such an extent that we had to sell firewood for our survival. We had been struck by hunger, but right now we are glad that a solution has been found and implemented,” she said.
Agriculture deputy minister, Davies Marapira, who was the guest of honour, encouraged farmers to appreciate that farming was a business and save their profits for wealth creation.
He said the government was mulling introducing a tax that will be used to respond to emergencies and disasters, such as the floods that destroyed the irrigation equipment last year.
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Marapira admitted that electricity charges for agricultural activities were comparatively higher than those for other countries in the region and that talks were underway with the relevant authorities to find a mutually beneficial solution.
“Government is also considering the adoption and promotion of centre pivot technology, which helps in monitoring, regulating and managing water consumption per given area of land when compared to furrow irrigation,” he said.
The new equipment included pumps, centre pivots, horse reels, irrigators, tractors, disc harrows, disc ploughs, fertiliser spreaders and knapsack sprayers.
The scheme has attracted the attention of corporate partners such as Cairns Foods and a hectare of land has been set aside for a sugar beans trial project.
