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Ivan Zhakata in CHISUMBANJE

The Chisumbanje community has received drip irrigation plots to boost their agricultural activities in the area, in a development aimed at complementing Government’s effort of ensuring food security and nutrition.

Chisumbanje falls under ecological Region Five, which receives erratic rains during rainy seasons.

About 94 families received an acre, each from Green Fuels, which has a modern drip irrigation system.

Green Fuels has resolved to develop and handover 10 percent of all the land it develops for the benefit of the community in the form of irrigated plots.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Manicaland, Nokuthula Matsikenyere, said the irrigation system would boost productivity in the area.

“I appreciate that food security in this region is compromised,” she said.

“We therefore thank and celebrate Green Fuel for stepping up by developing this irrigation scheme, which will promote agricultural economic development, food production and food security, among other things.

“It is my understanding that the company has resolved to develop and handover 10 percent of all land it develops for the benefit of the community in the form of irrigated plots.”

Minister Matsikenyere said to date, 1 313 households have been allocated at least one plot stands, making the Green Fuels supported irrigation scheme the biggest in the country.

The plots, said Minister Matsikenyere, will allow individuals to sustain themselves, their families and the community throughout the year.

She added that the plots will significantly raise the number of farmers benefiting from the scheme as well as the hectarage of land under irrigation for the community being developed and maintained at the company’s cost.

Chipinge South legislator Cde Enock Porusingazi commended the scheme and urged the community to utilise the plots for their benefit.

“We are the only community in Zimbabwe which has started with drip irrigation, others wait for the rains. This is a huge development and we urge the community to create businesses out of this project,” he said.

Green Fuel public relations manager Mrs Merit Rumema said they were in the process of giving more land to other people in the community.

“This is a huge milestone and we know that more people are still to receive land. I would like to thank the community and urge them to take farming as a business.

“The locals have done a lot of things through these plots. I encourage you to be united and work together as one family so that we can have good yields,” she said.

The event was attended by community leaders and senior Government officials.