Sibonisiwe Khumalo, a farmer at Silalabuhwa Irrigation Scheme

Prosper Ndlovu Business Editor
CLIMATE change is real and its effects on global food security and nutrition cannot be wished away.

Zimbabwe is already feeling the pinch as frequent droughts continue to dampen hopes for improved yields, especially in the south-western parts of the country.

With seasonal farming becoming increasingly unreliable, the answer lies in revitalising irrigation systems and harnessing bulk water resources.

Improved food production through irrigation is a priority under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset), the government’s five year development plan (2013-18).

Silalabuhwa Irrigation Scheme in Filabusi, Insiza District, is one of the dormant yet strategic projects with the potential to produce enough food in the drought-prone Matabeleland South province.

Arguably the largest irrigation scheme in the whole of Matabeleland region, Silalabuhwa, commonly known as Silalatshani Irrigation Scheme is situated at about 30km from Filabusi growth point.

It has 442,8 hectares of arable land and boasts of readily available water from the nearby Silalabuhwa Dam through flood irrigation.

Latest records indicate the dam is 74,9 percent full with about 23 million cubic metres of water. The scheme only uses an average eight cubic metres of water per year.

Ironically hundreds of households suffer starvation each year due to failure to harness opportunities offered by the scheme.

“The scheme has 845 member farmers who largely produce for subsistence purposes. We do farming throughout the year but on a limited capacity due to numerous challenges,” said Stanley Dube the irrigation supervisor from Agritex.

He said accessing inputs at right prices was a struggle for farmers in the area due to distance from major cities such as Bulawayo, where input suppliers are based.

Established 44 years ago, the scheme produces crops such as sugar beans, maize, wheat and a range of horticultural products.

The scheme is divided into five sections; each allocated a trained extension officer for technical advice and co-ordination.

These are Nonoka, Vuka Uzenzele, Mbokodo, Landela and Phelandaba, which is the biggest.

Each section is run by a separate committee.

Given its huge size, Dube said the scheme needs urgent mechanisation for it to meet its strategic national mandate.

“We produce three to four tonnes of maize for instance but have capacity to reach 10 tonnes. Currently the scheme isn’t mechanised and farmers rely on hand tools if not ox-drawn ploughs,” he said.

“We’ve a huge capacity to produce surplus to feed surrounding communities in the province and supply the market in urban areas. Often farmers produce crops but lack a ready market. The producer price is also not good and that demotivates them.”

Sibonisiwe Khumalo, 45, said she has been working at the scheme for several years and was enjoying its benefits.

“I produce horticultural crops for own consumption and for sale. As a single mother I earn enough from this project to look after my family. Through this scheme I managed to build a five roomed house. If we can get inputs and people work harder, we’ll have no problems with hunger,” she said.

Dube said recapitalisation of the scheme would not only increase yields but also create job opportunities down the value chain for people in Insiza and nearby Gwanda.

“We’ve been informed of the Brazilian mechanisation scheme but farmers are not clear how they’ll access the equipment.

“We understand the scheme will get five tractors, disc harrows and ploughs but we need clarity on payment criteria,” he said.

“Farmers have engaged area MP Malaki Nkomo and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture responsible for cropping, Davis Marapira, on the issue.”

Dube said the bulk of irrigation infrastructure was obsolete and needed replacement. These include repair of night storage dams, gate valves and canals.

He said farmers have resorted to using thorn branches (ukubiya) to protect crops from destruction by domestic and wild animals as the entire scheme does not have a perimeter fence. About 30ha of maize crop was recently destroyed by animals because of the problem.

The prevailing challenges have also resulted in some farmers abandoning their allocated pieces of land.

The scheme has just completed harvesting of sugar beans from a 60,5ha portion.

“We’re now encouraging them to produce cash crops such as tomatoes and vegetables so as to get some money. We’ll be happy if we secure contracts to produce and supply big markets even companies in cities,” said Dube.

“This scheme produces a lot of horticultural products such as butter nuts, garlic, beetroot, cabbages, sweet potatoes and so on. Right now we’ve planted six hectares of garlic.

“Because of the challenges we face, our production is inconsistent and the market doesn’t like that.”

The way forward is to commercialise the scheme through adoption of a block system that will ensure intensive use of the land and efficient usage of inputs and other resources, said Dube.

He said a fragmented approach not only makes production costly but affects quality and quantity of yields too.

“Our most remarkable moment was during Operation Maguta/Ukusutha where government availed inputs and equipment and our yields were so high,” said Dube.

In the past few years the Cold Storage Company set up a livestock feeding facility to mitigate drought.

The feed enclosure suitable for cattle fattening is also lying idle.

Dube said the scheme was also conducting a survey in partnership with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), a top farming research body, on water usage and productivity.

The study is also being done in Tanzania and Mozambique.

A new aqua culture project is also being introduced with the help of the European Union that will see the scheme doing fish keeping.