Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Manicaland Bureau
Hundreds of families in Chimanimani West are set to benefit from the rehabilitation of irrigation schemes that were damaged by Cyclone Idai last year, as work is expected to commence soon.

The irrigation schemes have for years been the source of livelihood for the area, which receives very little rain as opposed to the eastern side of the district.

Through these, families were earning a living through growing cash crops like tomatoes, groundnuts, green mealies, onions and sugar beans, which they mostly sold to motorists along the Mutare-Chimanimani and Mutare-Chipinge highways.

For a year now, irrigation schemes in Cashel Valley and some major schemes such as Mutambara, Shinje and Nyabande have been idle as they were waiting for funding for repair works to begin.

Although Mutambara scheme is yet to get a taker, the others have received the necessary funds.

Chimanimani Agritex Officer Mr Shupai Majee told The Herald last week that irrigation infrastructure was one of the key things that needed to be looked into in the aftermath of the devastation brought by the cyclone.

“We had several irrigation schemes that were damaged, either the dam wall, the weirs or the canals,” he said. “We have three major schemes in excess of 70 hectares each that need attention. We also had some small micro-irrigations that were affected in areas like Biriiri and Nemako that were mainly used for nutrition support interventions.”

Work in Cashel Valley was being co-ordinated by the district development fund (DDF) which was doing canal lining and scooping of dams that were silted by the cyclone.

“In Cashel Valley, we have a major project that is about to kick start which is looking at rehabilitating and revitalising the whole scheme being funded by International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD),” he  said.

“For the greater part of last year after the cyclone, the main works were in trying to quantify the damage that was done and the scope of works that need to be done so that when they come in they will be adequately advised.

“So, for the bulk of the irrigation schemes in Cashel Valley, the feasibility studies have been completed and we are supposed to start work anytime soon.”

Mr Majee said Shinja irrigation scheme, which lies near Biriiri, was being rehabilitated by Care International, with work on erecting a perimeter fence having been completed.

The weir has been rehabilitated and they are working on the infield canals.

Work on Nyabande irrigation scheme is being done by World Vision.