irrigation schemes dotted in the district.
He also challenged them to make effective use of water bodies in the area to turn the district into a greenbelt.

He was making particular reference to people living near Zhovhe Dam, Umzingwane, Shashe and Limpopo Rivers.
The minister made the remarks when he officially opened the 18-hectare Ndambe irrigation scheme 100 km west of the border town last Wednesday. The scheme is located near one on the country’s biggest dams. The irrigation scheme is owned by the community in ward 7 and was funded by World Vision Hong Kong chapter alongside the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Ndambe irrigation scheme was created in 2007 by Beitbridge Rural District council, the community and World Vision and has a total of 18 hectares and 80 beneficiaries owning 0.225 hectare each.

Zhovhe Dam has the capacity to carry 133 million cubic metres of water, which can supply enough drinking water to the border town and turn the 63 km stretch from the dam to the town into a greenbelt.
“As government, we have made it a priority that we need to promote irrigation farming in areas where crops cannot do well under the normal rainfall pattern and hence I am calling on the communities around here to venture into private public partnerships with other players for us to realise our target.

“We should make use of various water bodies within the district to produce enough for ourselves, the province and the country as a whole. I would also want to challenge you to think big, be innovative and venture into other projects such as citrus plantation, cash crop farming, livestock production and manufacturing.

“There is strong need for us to add value to our products before taking them to the market, that way the communities will be able to create employment and produce enough to sustain themselves. However, we would also entertain development partners who would engage the communities as equal partners. We would also like to commend World Vision and other arms of the United Nations for funding the establishment of the projects, which is set to benefit 80 families.

“On the other hand, government has already made a stand point that it will help communities in reviving irrigation schemes for our agrarian reform to be a great success.”
World Vision national director, Mr Edward Brown, said the projects sought to turn Ndambe community into a greenbelt and to assist in ensuring food security at household level.

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