Story by Tafara Chikumira, Midlands Bureau Chief
One of the government supported irrigation schemes in Gokwe has declared impressive wheat production figures with over 40 out of the planted 75 hectares having been harvested so far.
Mutange is among irrigation schemes that have been resuscitated by the Second Republic to counter the effects of climate change and guarantee food self-sufficiency.
The scheme has 75 hectares under wheat this year, produced an average of three tonnes per hectare.
A farmer told the ZBC News, “We are very grateful to government for resuscitating our scheme. We never thought we could grow wheat here in Gokwe, but we started last year with 40 hectares which we managed to double this season. Next season we hope we will put wheat on all the irrigable land here at our irrigation scheme.”
Another farmer noted, “It’s a life changing opportunity for some of us. We have all the energy to do farming and what has been lacking are the tools to do the trade. Some of us were contemplating going back to the fields, but the government has shown us that the scheme will survive. We just pray that the issue of the availability of water is addressed so that the scheme can be viable again.”
“Gokwe was known as a place where people would come to take maids and herd man to do their menial jobs. Today we are witnessing commercial agriculture at this farm which is quite commendable indeed. We want to thank our President for presenting us with an opportunity to make significant contribution to the country’s wheat basket,” yet another beneficiary said.
Government has since pledged to put in place intervention measures for the country to retain its breadbasket status in line with Vision 2030.
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honorable Owen Ncube said, “Irrigation development has been identified as the pillar for agricultural growth and recovery in the face of devastating effects of climate change. Furthermore, irrigation development is an accelerator for uplifting the livelihoods of rural communities in addition to boosting the agriculture production and productivity in drought prone areas in agro-ecological regions 4 and 5 like Gokwe South. We applaud the Second Republic for spearheading life changing initiatives with support the import substitution strategy by Government as Zimbabwe is now wheat self-sufficiency.”
The second Republic has prioritised the resuscitation of irrigation schemes as part of the rural industrialisation drive.
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