Story by Courage Bushe
OVER 100 farmers from the Bannockburn Irrigation Scheme in the Mhondongori area of Zvishavane have expressed concern over illegal chrome miners who have encroached into the scheme, thereby disrupting farming activities.
Although mining has been identified as key to achieving the National Development Strategy One goals, illegal mining activities at the irrigation scheme are hindering development and threatening food security in the area.
Belated Desertification and Drought Day commemorations in the area saw farmers from the scheme lamenting the rampant illegal mining activities which are disrupting productivity.
“This has been going on for years and our hope for food security is fading because these illegal miners are killing our irrigation scheme. If they were to do sustainable mining it was going to well but look now it is bad. Some villagers have fallen and died in the pits, and our livestock is also dying as a result,” said farmers who spoke to the ZBC News crew.
According to the Environmental Management Agency in the Midlands province, security measures are being put in place to protect the irrigation scheme.
The Second Republic is on a drive to promote irrigation agriculture to mitigate the effects of climate change and guarantee food security.
