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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau

The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement’s Irrigation Department in Mashonaland Central has started developing 200 hectares of communal land to put it under irrigation in Kanyemba area in Mbire District.

Submitting his report in Kanyemba recently, the acting provincial irrigation engineer, Engineer Blessward Chandiringa, said they have identified the land and are planning to draw water for irrigation from the Zambezi River.

“We require about 11km of mainline of about 600mm to reach the 200 hectare block from Zambezi River,” he said.

“We intend to put 10 centre pivots on the land.

“The community built their houses on top of the hills overlooking their fields.

“This is an opportunity to develop drip irrigation system at each homestead without disturbing their living set-up. We will build reservoir tanks and they will be able to channel the water into their fields.

“This will create small irrigation schemes per household. The height above sea level is 120 metres and our power requirement is 500kva to be able to reach the 200 hectares of communal land.

“The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement will engage Department of Research and Specialist Services for soil topographic surveys on the communal side.

“We are putting together some preliminary facts to enable us to engage consultancy to conduct a feasibility study on the commercial irrigation scheme which is under 10 000 hectares.”

Rural Electrification Agency (REA)’s Engineer Dominic Muhwati said Kanyemba was 250km away from Mushumbi and 160km away from Mana Pools, hindering connection of electricity from those two places.

He said the options were getting power through solar or importing from Zambia.

“Through feasibility studies, we found out that their voltage is 11kva, which is not sufficient to match the massive development required here.

“Consultations with Zambia are fruitful, but their power line is still 15km away, they are currently using a generator. As REA we are ready.”

Acting provincial town planning officer Mr Enock Zungula said Kanyemba rural service centre offers various investment opportunities, including housing,  energy supply and transportation, among others.

“Development has been slow over the year, with fishing camps as the only development,” he said.

“This called for a multi-sectoral approach to develop the centre.

“The Zambezi River can be tapped for various development needs, with the border post as centre of trade.

“There is a presence of unique wildlife and mass graves in the area, which makes it very attractive.

“Harare-Kanyemba Road will become the shortest corridor to central Africa.

“It also has several aerodromes, which need some touch-ups. A more modern settlement and central business centre is also envisioned.”

Mr Elton Saruchera from the roads department said they have started constructing 10km of Mahuhwe-Kanyemba Road.