BY STAFF REPORTER
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total of 368 out of 460 irrigation schemes under the Vision 2030 Accelerator Model have been commercialised.
Authorities said the initiative seeks to build a climate-resilient and commercially driven agricultural sector.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development minister Anxious Masuka, said all irrigation schemes awere expected to be transformed into viable, profitable and sustainable agribusiness enterprises by the end of the year.
Masuka said the commercialisation drive was part of the government’s broader strategy to ensure food security, increase rural incomes and strengthen agricultural productivity through modernised irrigation infrastructure and private sector participation.
He said the Accelerator Model was already yielding positive results, with hundreds of schemes now operating under structured management systems that promote efficiency, accountability and market-oriented production.
“The goal is to ensure that every irrigation scheme becomes a fully functional agribusiness unit that contributes meaningfully to national food security and rural development,” he said during the recent commissioning of the 30-hectare Wanezi irrigation scheme in Insiza.
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Masuka added that the government was committed to rehabilitating and expanding irrigation infrastructure to mitigate the effects of climate change, which has increasingly affected rain-fed agriculture.
“Government is committed to rehabilitating and expanding irrigation infrastructure to mitigate the effects of climate change, which has increasingly affected rain-fed agriculture,” he said.
He commended farmers in Insiza for embracing the programme and urged them to maximise production at the newly commissioned Wanezi Irrigation Scheme, which is expected to boost horticultural output and improve livelihoods in the district.
The minister said similar projects across the country were being supported with training, technical assistance and access to markets to ensure long-term sustainability.
