Blessings Chidakwa in Kadoma
FARMERS at Madhodha Irrigation Scheme in Mhondoro-Ngezi, Mashonaland West are appealing to Government and donors for irrigation equipment as the one they are using is now obsolete.

The local community also appealed for the introduction of the Command Fisheries programme as they have one of the largest dams in the province.

In an interview with The Herald yesterday, the irrigation scheme’s treasurer Mr Godfrey Sanhewe said their equipment had outlived its lifespan.

“The facilities we are using are now old, they now require urgent replacement, we inherited them from former commercial white farmers at the height of the land reform programme in early 2000,” he said.

Mr Sanhewe said despite the farmers having been endowed with one of the largest dams in the province, Madhodha Dam, they were not operating at full capacity due to the ageing equipment.

“Our irrigation scheme has three blocks each with at least 150 hectares sourcing water from Madhodha Dam, but all those hectares are not being fully utilised due to ageing equipment,” he said.

“The resuscitation of equipment is very expensive.

“Although we have vast potential. Therefore we plead to Government to assist us as it will translate into improved agricultural production.”

Mr Sanhewe said the Madhodha community was also appealing to Government to introduce Command Fisheries programme in their community.

“We are also appealing for Command Fisheries Scheme here, it can also change our livelihoods as we have a dam that is always full throughout the year,” he said.

Mr Sanhewe said they were hopeful that it would benefit from Government following its remarks sometime in March that the country was expecting to receive 80 centre pivots from Spain in the next two months.

Government also said it was repairing irrigation facilities for schemes and supplying the machinery, which is required.