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Following the negative impact of the El-Nino-induced drought that affected Southern Africa, Zimbabwe included, the United Nations (UN) country team is supporting smallholder farmers in irrigation schemes in Masvingo Province.
One such initiative is the Mushandike Irrigation Scheme located in Masvingo District which is one of the oldest irrigation schemes in Zimbabwe. The scheme has an Irrigation Management Committee (IMC) that manages the operations of the whole scheme.
The (IMC) has sub-committees that address specific areas per each group, all ensuring production is not compromised. To date, during the 2023 winter wheat loan cycle, 1584 farmers received support and 37 940 tons of wheat were harvested. For the 2024 winter wheat production, 1766 farmers benefited from the seed revolving fund, enabling them to have access to certified seeds and fertilizers.
With funding from the AfDB in partnership with the AFC Land and Development Bank and the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development (MLAFWRD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is implementing the Zimbabwe Emergency Food Production Project (ZEFPP).
The Takunda Farmers Group is a sub-unit of 16 producer groups under the Mushandike Irrigation Scheme. The members of the group hailed the support from the UN and its partners in ensuring that they run a thriving irrigation scheme that meets their food and nutrition requirements and a surplus to cater for their children’s education and other basic needs.
Speaking to Spiked Online Media today, Kundai Machengere, the Agritex extension officer of the Mushandike Irrigation Scheme said farmers rely on loans from institutions like the AFC Land and Development Bank.
Her sentiments were corroborated by Denhere Bhusvumani, the Deputy Chairperson of the Takunda Farmers Group (75 years old).
“We hail the support from AFC in partnership with FAO who brought to us the AfDB Fund that is helping farmers acquire certified seeds to ensure we have a bumper harvest. AFC provides fertilizers and pesticides to the Takunda Farmers Group. It provided us with US$2200 during the summer cropping season. An amount of US$810 is the seed revolving fund while the rest is working capital.
“In the winter cropping season, we grew wheat. The extension officer teaches us about herbicides, fertilizers, and labour. Our main crops are maize and wheat. We also do vegetables and sugar beans. We sell to GMB and private customers depending on demand. We grind our wheat into flour or maize into maize meal as value addition,” Bhusvumani said
The farmers use hybrid seed varieties. The Takunda Farmers Group is in Village 15 and comprises 55 farmers. Each farmer sold 1 tonne. To ensure the irrigation scheme continues, the farmers are appealing for support to have a permanent source of water like the Tokwe Mukosi Dam in the Lowveld. With a reliable water supply, they used to sell 3 to 4 tonnes of wheat per farmer.
At the Bwanya Irrigation scheme in Chivi North Constituency, the UNDP and its partners are spearheading the revitalization and climate-proofing of a 156hactre irrigation scheme under the Climate Resilient Livelihoods Project. The scope of work comprises of
- fixed pump station
- main conveyance PVC pipe 7.5km
- 2 centre pivot systems covering 72ha +sprinkler system covering 84ha.
- 270 beneficiary households plus 1 school
The project is being funded by the Government of Zimbabwe, the Green Climate Fund and UNDP.
Akem Tinago, the Chairman of the Bwanya Irrigation Scheme Irrigation Scheme said their group comprises 300 members with each having 0,5 ha and it has 215 men and 85 women. There are also youth and persons with disabilities in the scheme.
Of the 30 members who are 65 years old and above, 19 are men and 11 are women. The group is in Ward 3 in the Chivi North Constituency under Chief Madamombe’s area. Tinago said villagers pledged their fields to the irrigation schemes. Members who pledged fields were given 2ha each.
Veronica Mamvura, a committee member, said the farmers look forward to addressing hunger that was rife in the area.
“It is difficult to raise school fees. We are looking forward to a reduction in poverty from the irrigation scheme. As women, we look forward to self-help projects. When the irrigation is functional, we will be selling produce to the GMB. Starting the scheme was difficult. We started by clearing land and stones. We gave our fields to the scheme. It’s rainy season. We are looking forward to fencing to protect our fields covering 150 hectares. The clearing of the land in December 2023. The centre pivots are a donation from UNDP. We have 94 youth in the scheme.
“In the first phase, we contributed US$7 per household for the fence. The centre pivots are powered by solar during the day. Farmers participated in land clearance,” Mamvura said.
Manford Tadius, the Agricultural Extension Officer for the Bwanya Irrigation Scheme said they are awaiting the clearing of stones and electrification before the scheme takes off so that they can begin to grow crops this rainy season.
