BY STEPHEN CHADENGA
Villagers in Chirumanzu district in the Midlands province have appealed for government help to rehabilitate a silted dam in Machinja area.
They said the water body used to sustain villagers’ lives through fishing and irrigation projects.
Despite the incessant rains that pounded the Midlands province in the last few months, Machinja Dam is already dry due to heavy siltation.
Village head Fanuel Machinja said the dam was a potential game changer for the community.
“In the past, this dam used to sustain lives through fishing and garden projects,” he said yesterday.
“But for over a decade now, the dam has been heavily silted due to bad farming practices upstream. We now appeal for government intervention in the resuscitation of this water body.”
Ward 7 councillor Jericho Mazarire said he would approach Chirumanzu legislator Barbara Rwodzi (Zanu PF) over the matter.
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“There is need to engage the MP of the area over the matter,” he said.
Rwodzi was, however, not available for comment.
The villagers said they were prepared to provide labour for the rehabilitation of the dam.
A villager, Felistus Chigumbu, said in the past, the community grew vegetables for own consumption and for sale.
“We used to grow tomatoes, onions and vegetables for consumption as well as selling to generate income for our families,” she said.
In recent years, government has called for increased irrigation projects to enhance food security and nutrition among communities.
The call comes at a time when climate change has negatively impacted agricultural productivity in most parts of the country.
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