VILLAGERS in Matabeleland North province have called on the government to fulfil the promise it made to establish irrigation schemes near the mighty Zambezi River so that they can undertake sustainable agricultural projects to boost food security.
The appeal was brought to Parliament by Hwange East legislator Joseph Bonda recently.
Bonda said villagers in his area wanted an update on their petition on utilising the Zambezi River for irrigation in Msuna, Makwa and Sidinda areas.
Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development deputy minister Vangelis Haritatos failed to give timelines.
“Irrigation development remains the most fundamental intervention in order to mitigate against climate change,” he said.
“Msuna is a 15-hectare irrigation scheme, currently non-functional.
“All the pumps are not working and they need to be replaced.
“Our team is checking on the specifications as well as the costs thereof.
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“Makwa is a three-hectare irrigation scheme, which is operational and utilising borehole water. It is 7km from the Zambezi River.”
Haritatos said existing irrigation schemes had to be expanded for them to utilise Zambezi water.
“In order to utilise water from the Zambezi River, the irrigation scheme has to be expanded and has the potential to grow to 10 hectares,” he said.
“Sidinda is a one-hectare garden established by the Smallholder Agricultural Cluster Programme.
“It is operational and utilising borehole water. It is about 9km from the Zambezi River and can be expanded to 40 hectares.”
Haritatos said the ministry would pursue the matter.
“Otherwise, these schemes have a risk of not being sustainable and viable in the long run and, therefore, economies of scale are fundamental,” he said.
Bonda, however, said Haritato’s explanation was not convincing.
“We just need pumps, to pump water to the land, just maybe a kilometre away from the Zambezi,” the Hwange East legislator said.
“Why is it that the ministry is not considering providing those village business units (VBUs) to alleviate the poverty and the drought since that area is in Region 5 and is drought- stricken?”
Haritatos said the problem was that VBUs were designed to draw water from boreholes.
“The challenge here is not that the water is not accessible, it is that the borehole needs to be drilled to fit into the design of the VBU,” he said.
“When you are now reticulating water, this falls under irrigation development.
“It is a different programme, but nonetheless, that falls within the ministry.”
“When it comes to a business, it must be a business because it has to be sustainable and viable.”
