Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent 

IRRIGATION schemes in Matabeleland South Province are at 60 percent capacity utilisation mainly due to dilapidated infrastructure and efforts are under way to rehabilitate them.

Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of a provincial natural resources management workshop held under the Small Holder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme (SIRP) in Gwanda on Tuesday, Matabeleland South Provincial Irrigation Engineer in the Department of Irrigation, Mr Shepard Mpotengwa said the province has 78 large scale irrigations schemes and several nutrition gardens. About 6 100 hectares of land under irrigation is targeted under SIRP at a cost of $51,68 million over seven years.

The International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) is expected to contribute $25,5 million, the Government will contribute $7,9 million, beneficiaries will contribute $3,3 million and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) will contribute $15 million. “The Small Holder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme (SIRP) which was launched in November 2017 is meant to assist the revitalisation of irrigation schemes across the nation through rehabilitation of infrastructure. In Matabeleland South we are targeting irrigations schemes from four districts namely Beitbridge, Gwanda, Insiza and Mangwe districts.

“For now we have identified 11 irrigations schemes that will be rehabilitated. The province has 78 large irrigations and several small ones and they are at 60 percent capacity utilisation and the main reason is dilapidated infrastructure. Once these schemes have been rehabilitated their capacity will increase and their performance will improve. This will also boost food security in the province as we receive low rainfall,” he said.

Mr Mpotengwa said they were conducting feasibility studies for the 11 projects and work on two of them is set to start in December. He said once feasibility studies have been completed they will know how much would be needed for the projects.

“Some irrigation schemes rely on diesel, some were affected by floods as they are close to rivers. Operations of other irrigation schemes have been affected by fuel shortages and power cuts. The intention is to redesign water supply by putting submissive pumps and installing solar systems,” he said.

Mr Mpotengwa said under the programme farmers will receive training on proper farming methods and will also be assisted in accessing markets to keep the schemes running. He said they had been unable to rehabilitate irrigation schemes across the province due to inadequate funding caused by illegal sanctions imposed on the country.

“The illegal sanctions have had a huge negative impact on the agricultural sector. We had a lot of programmes initiated by Government and NGOs. Funds were set aside for maintenance of irrigation infrastructure but they all depleted,” he said.

Also speaking in an interview after the workshop acting provincial mechanisation engineer in the Department of Mechanisation, Mr Dalisto Varegeyi said so far the SIRP project is targeting four provinces — Matabeleland South, Manicaland, Masvingo and Midlands. — @DubeMatutu