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Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
A new era has dawned for A1 farmers as Brazilians have started installing irrigation equipment, including centre pivots on their pieces of land in a move expected to boost productivity and fulfil Zim-Asset targets set under the Food Security and Nutrition cluster.

The farmers who benefited from the Brazil Zimbabwe More Food for Africa Programme, yesterday expressed gratitude to Government for coming up with the $38, 6 million equipment.

Beneficiaries under Phase One of the programme, include smallholder farmers who benefited from the land reform programme.

Installation has already started at most of the irrigation schemes that benefited from the facility.

Chabwino Irrigation Scheme chairman, Mr Thomas Vheremu, yesterday said the programme was a noble one as it had enabled the farmers to get irrigation equipment easily.

“We have been relying on rain-fed agriculture, which was becoming a challenge because of the unreliable rainfall. Now we can produce crops throughout the year and we will also grow wheat and potatoes in winter.

“We used to get low yields of around one tonne per hectare, but I am confident that with the state-of-the-art equipment we received, our yields are going to increase. This is the best way of supporting the land reform,” he said.

Mr Vheremu said the equipment benefited 18 farmers who will pay back the loan as a group.

Another beneficiary, Mr Samuel Chikoto of Chabwino Farm, said his life had been transformed.

“We have a full set of equipment; tractors, discs, ploughs and fertiliser spreaders and the centre pivot. It was difficult to hire tractors every season, but now we no longer have hassles with land preparation. We have plenty of water which we were failing to utilise as we could not afford irrigation equipment,” he said.

The installation of the equipment is being supervised by Brazilian engineers who are working with local counterparts.

A local company, IrrigaZim is working with the Brazilian engineers and engineers from the Department of Irrigation under the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.

IrrigaZim Engineer, Mr Matthew Gatse, said local irrigation experts, engineers and farmers were undergoing hands-on training at the farms where the irrigation equipment was being installed.

“The engineers will be learning during the installation of the equipment. They will mount the equipment and in the process familiarise themselves with the machinery.

“Farmers are enthusiastic and we are working with them during the installing so that they get more knowledge to operate and maintain the equipment,” he said.