ZESA pledges uninterrupted power supplies to farmers
http://www.financialgazette.co.zw/
Friday, 11 March 2011 12:57
Tabitha Mutenga, Staff Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S power utility ZESA Holdings, which has previously been accused of
sabotaging the country’s wheat production, has pledged uninterrupted power
supplies to wheat farmers who are targeting an output of 67 500 tonnes this
year. The winter cropping season will require at least US$24 million dollars
to produce 67 500 tonnes from 30 000 hect-ares, up from 14 000 hectares
produced last year, but concerns linger over reliable power supplies which
have undermined previous efforts.
Wheat production in the last season amounted to 21 000 tonnes against
national requirements of 400 000 tonnes.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union vice-president, Berean Mukwende, said ZESA had not
been able to provide enough power to allow irrigation last winter.
“For a wheat crop to be successful, farmers need an 8-12 hour irrigation
cycle for which ZESA cannot provide enough electricity. As a result farmers
can only produce a maximum of 15 hect-ares with yields greatly affected by
inadequate irrigation,” he said.
Efforts have been made every year to eng-age ZESA into ring fencing wheat
farming areas to allow adequate supply of power but farmers have always been
left disappointed after failure by the power utility to supply uninterrupted
power.
Mukwende blamed ZESA for the decline in production because of poor service
provision and efficiency from the parastatal.
ZESA spokesperson, Fullard Gwasira, assured farmers that the organisation
would this season endeavor to ensure that the cropping season was not
adversely affected by power blackouts.
He, however, complained about the scattered nature of the farming community
which made it difficult for ZESA to provide wheat farmers with a dedicated
power supply line.
“To counter this, ZESA has grouped farmers into clusters which we provide
power at scheduled times,” said Gwasira.
“Traditionally, as we approach winter, we set aside three days per week for
12 hours to ensure that the winter cropping season is not adversely
affected. This figure is normally arrived at in consultations with the
Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development and the
Department of Extension Services (Agritex) and caters for the farming
clusters which would have been identified for that particular season,” he
said.
To ensure efficient power supply, the power utility has struck a deal with
both tobacco and winter wheat farmers for a stop order payment system
whereby farmers would pay through stop orders.
“To meet this extra commitment of power to farmers, ZESA will (commit) to
regional utilities a payment date based on the stop order system, thereby
importing more power to be paid at a later date. Any attempts by farmers to
circumvent the system will result in power disconnection,” Gwasira said.
The farming community clusters require up to 162 megawatts of electricity
for successful agricultural activity. To support this massive effort, ZESA
has procured 165 trucks to ensure that activities on the farms are not
hampered by electrical faults.
A preparedness maintenance programme is already being implemented to ensure
that supplies are not adversely affected by unplanned outages.
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority has set aside more than one billion
cubic metres of water for the winter cropping season which is enough to
irrigate more than 79 000 hectares during the season.
This follows the significant rains that the country received during the rain
season.
Most of the country’s major dams are currently reported to be full.