Zimpapers Logo

Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
The partnership between Agriculture and Rural Development Authority (Arda) and Mangwa Quip Investments at Nandi Estates has seen the successful rehabilitation of the 320-hectare plot, which has been underutilised for more than 10 years. The $1,5 million investment has created employment for 220 people in Chiredzi, with surrounding communities benefitting from a dedicated two hectare irrigation plot for nutrition garden project.

Mangwa Quip Investments director Mr Denford Masiya said plans were to invest in modern irrigation technology, but the contract’s time frame was too small for such an investment. He said the furrow irrigation system, which they were using was wasting a lot of water.

“Since 2013, we grew sugarcane on 188ha, but we were stopped by Zinwa last year from expanding due to the irrigation water challenges. He said they had since expanded the area under sugarcane to 267ha. We hope in the next coming weeks we would have covered the 320ha, which is arable on this whole estate,” Mr Masiya said. Cde Masiya, who is also Chiredzi East legislator, said the project had delivered more than 19 000 tonnes of sugarcane to the millers.

“We have harvested cane from 167ha delivering 19 140 tonnes for crushing. We are very delighted with the average yield, which we are receiving per hectare. At some plots, we are reaching 220 tonnes per hectare, making us the best sugarcane farmers in the Lowveld. if Arda extended the contract to about 10 years, they were prepared to install modern irrigation equipment, which saves water. Furrow irrigation is wasting water, our goal was to install modern irrigation systems such as centre pivots, but our working time frame of five years was limited for us to recover our investment,” he said.