FAO rehabilitates 15 irrigation schemes in Masvingo

UNITED Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has completed the rehabilitation of 15 irrigation schemes in Masvingo province under a multi- million dollar facility supported by the European Union. 

According to FAO, the project is meant to address challenges around irrigation development and improving the country’s food security.

The organisation’s representative, Mr Alain Onibon, told stakeholders during the official handover of the projects in Masvingo last week, that they had channelled resources towards improving infrastructure and issues to do with production, inputs availability, agronomy, marketing and payment of bills (electricity and water charges).

He said they had also managed to resolve some conflicts at schemes, training of members as well as environmental and health concerns. “The programme has covered all the seven districts of Masvingo province,” said Mr Onibon.

“So far all the rehabilitated schemes have resumed operations. Under this programme we are targeting a number of irrigation schemes in the province that were lying idle due to the effects of floods and breakdown of vital machinery. 

“Some of the irrigation schemes include; Nyatare and Mabvute in Zaka, Stanmore and Mushandike among others”.

The province has 68 irrigation schemes excluding those run by the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) and those that are developed by non-governmental organisations without the Department of Irrigation’s direct influence.

“As FAO we have carried out this rapid appraisal process at the irrigation schemes for which we have targeted to receive assistance and these are the ones that use electricity and gravity to irrigate. Most of the projects (irrigation) are facing gravitational challenges with regards to moving irrigation water from the source.

“We have identified 15 projects for rehabilitation, but our target is to have more initiatives depending on resources at hand. The fund has to cover a total of 663 hectares,” said Mr Onibon.

He said irrigation based farming was a vehicle for agricultural and economic development. Through their intervention, he said irrigation development had relatively improved in Zimbabwe.

Speaking during the same programme, the Minister of State in Vice -President Kembo Mohadi’s office, Cde Davis Marapira urged irrigation farmers to embrace relevant cropping technologies to boost crop production and ensure food security.

“This is a welcome development for Masvingo province and Zimbabwe in particular, where the agricultural growth rate lags behind as compared to the population’s growth rate. 

“However, we are worried that most irrigation schemes are underutilised and they lack modern irrigation techniques to boost production,” he said. “Given the limitations posed by climate change in Zimbabwe, irrigation is necessary in many parts of the country for achieving agricultural growth.”

The minister said irrigation played a pivotal role in boosting food security, income generation, employment creation, improved nutrition and raising of the standard of living of farmers. 

“If you take a look at Masvingo province, you will realise that some areas receive significant rains once in five years meaning that through dry land cropping the yield will be next to zero. 

“So the moment you have more irrigation schemes a lot of lives will be transformed in terms of food security. People will also generate income to sustain their livelihoods,” he said.