via Zim get $8mln EU irrigation grant | The Source  April 1, 2014

The European Union has extended a $7,8 million grant to rehabilitate nearly 20 irrigation projects in two provinces, in a bid to boost the country’s agricultural output, an official said on Tuesday.

Manicaland provincial administrator Fungai Mbetsa said a technical committee of irrigation engineers has been deployed to assess irrigation schemes to be rehabilitated. A similar exercise is also expected to be carried out in Matabeleland South.

“The rehabilitation exercise will commence immediately after the completion of the assessment by our engineers,” said Mbetsa.

“We are looking at close to 20 irrigation schemes that might undergo rehabilitation. But I cannot say how much will be allocated to Manicaland before the completion of the assessment.”

Manicaland, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the country, also received $2m worth of irrigation equipment from the Japanese government.

Irrigation schemes have been cited as a food security measure since 80 percent of the country’s ecological regions are unsuitable for cropping due to low rainfall.