Story by Providence Maraneli
MATABELELAND SOUTH – SILALABUHWA Irrigation Scheme farmers are reaping the benefits of a collaboration between a seed house and the scheme in financing the production of more than 100 hectares of a sugar bean crop.
While government embarked on the massive revitalisation of defunct irrigation schemes across Matabeleland South through programmes like the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme (SIRP), Green Climate Fund (GCF) and ERVHIS, the missing link between this massive endeavour and production has been the financing of these schemes.
As such, the collaboration between a local seed house, Zadzamatura and more than 200 farmers at Silalabuhwa Irrigation Scheme has set the community on a transformative journey.
“We are grateful that government rehabilitated our scheme and now we are happier that we got a contract with this seed house because it is market-driven,” Silalabuhwa Irrigation Scheme Chairperson, Mr Joel Ndlovu noted.
Under the partnership, farmers are provided with inputs to produce commercial sugar bean seed.
“We sought to complement government’s efforts in food security, and we saw that there is water and land, but farmers did not have capital, but through this collaboration, we can achieve food security. This is in line with Vision 2030. We are impressed by the performance of the crop at this scheme,” Zadzamatura’s Managing Director Dr Daniel Myers said.
“This kind of partnership is going to make farmers realise the benefits because this collaboration comes with ready market. We want the contract farming to continue because the environment is conducive, there is water, and the canals have been revived,” Insiza District Agritex officer, Mr Augustine Mhike stated.
The 442-hectare Silalabuhwa Irrigation Scheme is one of the major communal irrigation schemes rehabilitated by government in Matabeleland South under the SIRP programme, with Sebasa, Makwe and Guyu now up and running.
