Masvingo Bureau
CRIPPLING water shortages have forced more than 300 plot holders at Mushandike Irrigation Scheme on the outskirts of  Masvingo City, to switch from irrigation to rain-fed farming.

The 800 hectares prime farmland is Masvingo’s largest irrigation scheme and was opened in the early 1980s.

The irrigation scheme used to be a major source of fresh produce for Masvingo City and was also the province’s biggest producer of wheat with at least 400ha reserved for the cereal every year.

However, the drying up of Mushandike Dam upstream, because of poor rains over the past years coupled with unprecedented siltation, essentially triggered the death of the irrigation scheme.

Provincial Agriculture Extension Officer Mr Aaron Muchazivepi yesterday confirmed that over 50 percent of the scheme was now under dryland farming after Mushandike Dam failed to supply the much-needed water as it was only 4,5 percent full.

“Farming activities at Mushandike are currently happening on dryland since water is a big challenge with the dam that used to supply water virtually empty,’’ he said.

The total area under different crops at Mushandike for now is roughly 562ha out of 847,5ha.

Under normal circumstances there should be crops at Mushandike, but the situation has since changed.

Most plot holders are growing maize on dryland, but the crop has been severely affected by a prolonged dry spell, which engulfed most parts the province and the southern parts of the country in January.

Plans to grow wheat at the scheme have since suffered a stillbirth because of the water challenges, leaving them exposed to food insecurity and lack of income.

“The only solution to Mushandike’s problems is to draw water via a pipeline from Muzhwi Dam in Chivi north. This move will help restore the irrigation scheme’s fortunes,” said Mr Muchazivepi.

Government plans to build a pipeline that will divert water into Mushandike Dam from the idle and underutilised Muzhwi Dam.

Feasibility studies on the project have since shown that it would need funding to the tune of US$10 million.

Mushandike Dam used to be a very important source of water for wildlife in nearby Mushandike Game Park.