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Deputy Minister Marapira

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Government has been urged to further consolidate Masvingo’s growing status as the country’s irrigation hub by constructing Runde-Tende Dam, which has a potential to irrigate more than 50 000 hectares in Chikombedzi. Chikombedzi, in southern Masvingo, has vast irrigation potential owing to its flat terrain and rich soils and the coming on board of Runde-Tende Dam is expected to provide irrigation water for the area.

Runde-Tende Dam has been on the cards from the pre-independence era and will be built at the confluence of Runde and Tende rivers in southern Chivi. The planned reservoir’s irrigation impetus, combined with the recently commissioned Tokwe-Mukosi Dam will catapult Masvingo into Zimbabwe’s biggest irrigation hub.

Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister (Cropping) Davis Marapira said Government should prioritise construction of Runde-Tende Dam. He said the dam will engender massive socio-economic transformation in southern Masvingo, particularly in drought-prone districts such as Mwenezi, Chiredzi and Chikombedzi.

“The coming up of Runde-Tende Dam should be able to provide enough water to irrigate more than 50 000 hectares in the Chikombedzi area and parts of southern Mwenezi,’’ he said.

“Zimbabwe should prioritise infrastructural projects such as Runde-Tende because the dam can be used to grow export crops that will earn the country the much-needed foreign currency.” Deputy Minister Marapira said Zimbabwe could exploit Masvingo’s vast irrigation potential by venturing into citrus production, tapping lucrative and fast expanding markets such as China.

“There is high demand for citrus in China and we could use Runde-Tende water to open vast citrus plantations and meet the high appetite for citrus products in China. With such projects like Runde-Tende, we can earn the country the much needed foreign currency by growing crops targeting the export market,” he said.

Deputy Minister Marapira said it was imperative for Government to designate the area around Chiredzi, Chikombedzi, Mwenezi and Chivi, that stands to benefit from Tokwe-Mukosi and Runde-Tende irrigation water, as a Special Economic Zone.

He said the areas could be transformed into greenbelts under sugar cane and citrus plantations, with scope for agro-tourism among other positive spin-offs. Deputy Minister Marapira said the designation of southern parts of Masvingo as a Special Economic Zone would attract agro-processing industries that will create employment and other accompanying benefits.

Government recently commissioned the $300 million Tokwe-Mukosi Dam in southern Chivi that has potential to irrigate over 25 000 hectares in southern Masvingo. The dam has already been touted as a catalyst for socio-economic transformation in Masvingo, with the reservoir set to offer opportunities in tourism and agriculture.