Story by Mercy Bofu
REHABILITATION of Mushandike Irrigation Scheme in Masvingo under the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme has resulted in improved production and transformation of lives, with farmers focusing on wheat this season.
Mr Proud Mhosva is one of the 57 farmers at Mushandike Irrigation Scheme whose plot was suffering from diminishing returns due to a number of challenges, including poor distribution of water.
The challenges are however set to be a thing of the past after government intervened by rehabilitating the scheme with farmers now growing crops all year round.
“As farmers at Mushandike Irrigation, we were no longer able to grow our crops all year round due to water challenges, our canals were very old hence losing water however government last year started rehabilitating this scheme. At my 1 hectare piece of land this season I put up wheat and I’m looking forward to harvesting five tonnes which was no longer possible,” he said.
With inputs and technical support having been availed farmers at Mushandike Irrigation Scheme are targeting 57 hectares of maize during the summer cropping season.
The Second Republic has been on a drive to resuscitate irrigation schemes countrywide to climate-proof agriculture and ensure food security.
