Story by Tichaona Kurewa
THE Second Republic’s Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan is on track, with private players teaming up with communities near Victoria Falls to provide the much-needed water for irrigation.
The government is targeting to set up at least one horticulture project in every village across the country under the Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan hence the provision of water is a priority.
The government’s concept has received buy-in from development partners with the Rotary Club and Jafuta Foundation sinking two boreholes at the Izhane Tinde Community Garden Project near Victoria Falls, much to the relief of villagers.
The traditional leadership and private players are excited about the development.
“These boreholes will go a long way in providing the much-needed irrigation water for our people,” said Mr Skinner Ndlovu the headman of Marathuza.
“This will also help them to go commercial and feed their families. We are grateful for the support.”
“After seeing a need in the Community of Monde, we partnered with Jafuta and buy a brick Foundation to support the community garden to continue growing by adding two boreholes to the area,” said Julieth Dube the president of the Rotary Club, Victoria Falls.
Established in 1985, Izhane Tinde Community Garden has a total of 45 hectares, but only a few hectares were being utilised due to water-related challenges.
The Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan is part of the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy meant to convert agriculture from a US$5,2 billion to an US$8,2 billion sector.
This is expected to see the sector contributing 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product by 2025 in line with the vision to attain an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
