Story by Tafadzwa Chigwedere
GOVERNMENT’S drive to expand rural agricultural production is gathering pace, with the rehabilitation of the Nyaitenga Irrigation Scheme in Mutoko through the Agricultural Marketing Fund, bringing renewed hope to more than 50 households.
The 20-hectare irrigation scheme, rehabilitated by the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) in partnership with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), is expected to improve food production, create jobs and strengthen household incomes.
A visit by this news crew to Nyaitenga Irrigation Scheme and Maka Irrigation Scheme in Ward 25, Mutoko, showed communities already benefiting from the revived infrastructure.
“We were struggling to make ends meet, but this irrigation scheme has created employment for us as youths,” said Katros Gondo.
Rumbidzai Makuni said the project has made farming easier for women.
“As women, it’s now easier for us to irrigate our crops.”
Young farmer Samantha Sapuwa said the scheme has opened up new opportunities.
“We are growing different crops such as beans, tomatoes, vegetables and carrots.”
For Mr Barnabas Kamusise, the project has improved household livelihoods.
“This has transformed our lives; we are now able to pay school fees for our children.”
Ward 25 Councillor Mr Chenjerai Kandemiri said the rehabilitation had restored a project that had been dormant for years.
“The irrigation scheme was idle for the past five years, and its rehabilitation will bring development.”
Agricultural Marketing Authority Marketing and Public Relations Manager Ms Tina Nleya said the fund is supporting both new and existing irrigation infrastructure.
“As AMA, we are using the fund for the construction of new as well as the rehabilitation of existing irrigation schemes.”
Acting Provincial Irrigation Engineer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development for Mashonaland East Province, Mrs Cathrine Jaji, said the intervention had restored the entire irrigation scheme.
“Here at Nyaitenga we have a total irrigated area of 20 hectares. After the intervention of the AMA fund, we have rehabilitated the whole irrigation area because everything was down.”
The Agricultural Marketing Fund has established and rehabilitated more than 20 irrigation schemes across the country as Government advances irrigation expansion and food security under the National Development Strategy Two (NDS2).
