Mkwasine is one of the three big estates together with Triangle and Hippo Valley which grow the bulk of the country’s cane to produce sugar.

George Maponga–Masvingo Bureau

A major disaster is looming at Mkwasine Estates in Chiredzi where over 9 000 hectares of sugar cane at various stages of growth faces wilting because of lack of irrigation water for the past seven days.

The water problem arose after a breakdown at Manjirenji Dam, along Chiredzi River in Zaka, which has seen the water body failing to supply water for irrigation since early last week.

Besides the Mkwasine cane crop, another 5 000ha of sugar cane also faces the same fate at Nandi Estates, which also gets supplies from Manjirenji.

Newly planted cane, commonly known as “plant cane”, faces the biggest risk with nearly 900ha close to wilting at Mkwasine.

The same dire situation is also confronting “ration cane” for those farmers who have just harvested their crop as it requires regular water supply to flourish.

Mkwasine Cane Farmers’ Association chair Colonel (Retired) Dennis Masomere yesterday painted a bleak picture on the situation and urged the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) to address the problem at Manjirenji Dam.

He said the situation had been aggravated by the current heat wave sweeping across the Lowveld.

“The situation is very bad,” said Col (Rtd) Masomere. “There is a real disaster and the damage to the crop at Mkwasine Estates is very serious.

“We have not had water for the past seven days and this is really disastrous for sugar cane farmers at Mkwasine where we have 9 000ha under cane and Nandi Estates where about 5 000ha are under the same crop.”

The Manjirenji Dam breakdown had happened at a time when the need for water by cane farmers was at its peak.

“Most farmers need water now more than ever because for those who have just harvested it means their ration cane is in great need of reliable water supply because we have now gone for seven days without water,” said Col (Rtd) Masomere.

“We have about 9 000ha of plant cane at Mkwasine that is in imminent danger of wilting because of lack of water because newly planted cane cannot survive if it’s not irrigated. What is disturbing us is that Zinwa seems to lack urgency in addressing the water challenge at Manjirenji, which will reduce cane output from Mkwasine next year unless the situation is addressed. The timing of the problem could not have been worse.”

Col (Rtd) Masomere urged Zinwa and other responsible authorities to speed up building of Mukazi Dam, which has been on the cards for many years and is touted as a permanent fallback in the event of challenges at Manjirenji.

Besides Manjirenji, Mkwasine farmers also get their water from Siya Dam in Bikita, but the reservoir has no direct link to the estates and deposits its water in Manjirenji.

Zinwa spokesperson Mrs Marjorie Munyonga confirmed the breakdown and said they were working round the clock to address the problem.

She said water challenges at Mkwasine was because of a breakdown at Manjirenji outlet tunnels.

Mrs Munyonga assured farmers and other stakeholders that the situation would normalise soon.

Mkwasine is one of the three big estates together with Triangle and Hippo Valley which grow the bulk of the country’s cane to produce sugar.

Cane from Mkwasine is transported by rail to Mkwasine or Hippo Valley sugar mills for processing into sucrose.

Triangle and Hippo Valley estates rarely encounter water challenges as supplies come from other dams such as Mutirikwi, Bangala and Tugwi-Mukosi.