Story by Tafara Chikumira
THE Mambanjeni Irrigation Scheme in the Maboleni area of Midlands province is now fully operational after a massive rehabilitation process which feeds into the Second Republic’s agriculture transformation strategy.
168 families are direct beneficiaries of the 85-hectare scheme and are looking forward to the economic benefits to be accrued from the revival of the scheme that ceased operations 17 years ago.
For a community located in an arid region, prospects of farming which had been dashed by the Elnino-induced drought are now a reality due to the Second Republic’s inclusive development agenda.
“It’s like I am dreaming, every day I wake up seeing that our irrigation scheme is back. It’s been difficult since we didn’t have much to look up to. Now I want to thank our government for this big project. We are now looking forward to paying school fees for our children by the income to be generated from our produce,” said a community member.
The government is on a spirited drive to establish more irrigation schemes across the province in line with the rural industrialisation thrust.
“As Government, we are delighted that we have managed to put in place this new pump that is now providing water to the Mambanjeni irrigation scheme. Our thrust is to ensure that no one will die of hunger. More of such schemes are in the pipeline,” said Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Owen Ncube.
The resuscitation of more irrigation schemes is seen as the panacea to the problems associated with the El Nino-induced drought that is ravaging the continent.
