Sukulwenkosi Dube, Plumtree Correspondent
Bulilima Rural District Council has initiated efforts to revive the Maitengwe Irrigation Scheme that has been lying idle for more than 30 years.
Council chief executive officer, John Brown Ncube, said the local authority was in the process of securing an investor for the project that would help alleviate food shortages in the area. The project will also see the establishment of a wildlife conservancy.
He said the project would start with the repair of the Maitengwe Dam which will serve as a source of water for the irrigation scheme and wildlife in the area.
“We have commissioned a study on how we can rehabilitate the irrigation scheme and how much land the dam can irrigate. At the same time we will come up with a plan on how the irrigation scheme can run concurrently with a wildlife conservancy,” said Ncube.
“The area of Maitengwe has a dam that can irrigate a vast amount of land and at the same time the land has a variety of wildlife. Therefore we wish to juxtapose wildlife and farming activities in a manner that will not be harmful to people.”
Ncube said Maitengwe Irrigation Scheme shut down before Independence in 1980 and over the years, the perimeter fence was vandalised.
He said the project would require an electric fence to be erected around the irrigation plots.
“There have been incidents of people that have been attacked by wild animals and we have to ensure that the irrigation is secure as much as possible and that we control the animals.
“The conservancy will help bring tourism activities in the district as we will introduce activities of viewing animals and birds. The district is rich in wildlife. At the moment we only have elephant hunting and we want to diversify our scope and exploit natural resources in order to bring about development,’’ he said.
Ncube said he had scheduled a look and learn exercise where officers from the local authority were set to visit Ingwizi Irrigation Scheme in Mangwe District.
He said the project would ensure food security in the district and employment for community members.