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Dr Zivhu

From George Maponga in CHIVI: Household Zim-Asset for Chivi

The food security situation in Chivi, south of Masvingo, is set to improve following the launch of “Household Zim-Asset” that will see thousands of villagers embarking on water harvesting to preserve the scarce commodity in the dry region beginning next year.Speaking at the launch of Household Zim-Asset at Chivi Rural District Council offices yesterday, council chairman Dr Killer Zivhu, said his council wanted to make sure every household in the district attained food security.

Dr Zivhu said Chivi District wanted to become the pacesetter in taking Zim-Asset to the household level by making sure every home in the district adopted water harvesting techniques to mitigate the effects of drought.

He said after the successful implementation of Village Zim-Asset that managed to transform the socio-economic face of Chivi, there was need to take the Government blueprint to the doorstep of every home in the district.

“We have decided to take Zim-Asset to the next level here in Chivi by launching what we are calling “Household Zim-Asset” whereby at every homestead in this district there will be some developmental projects that will take place in line with Zim-Asset goals. The question that we will be asking under Household Zim-Asset is: What is it that every person is doing at his or her home to sustain themselves?’’ he said.

“We have moved from Village Zim-Asset to Household Zim-Asset and under the latter, our first major goal is to make sure that every household starts water harvesting as it is the only way we can preserve the little rain that falls in Chivi every year,’’ he said.

Chivi, added Dr Zivhu, was a perennially low-rainfall receiving district hence, the need for every household to embrace water harvesting as it was the only panacea to recurrent food shortages.

“We want to make sure that every household harvests water because our district receives scanty rains every year, making it difficult to grow crops for food and also sustain livestock. We want the people of Chivi to be self-reliant in food production through adoption of water harvesting techniques,’’ he added.

Dr Zivhu said there were a lot of avenues that could be exploited by rural households in Chivi District to sustain themselves, pointing out that ventures like cutting grass and collecting organic manure for resale were lucrative and worth trying for income generation.

He urged villagers in Chivi to shun the dependency syndrome saying people should work to sustain themselves, instead of waiting for donors and non-governmental organisations to help them.

Chivi RDC chief executive Mr Tariro Matavire, said his district had accrued immense benefits in the wake of the introduction of village Zim-Asset by Dr Zivhu in the last two years.

Mr Matavire said the district had made significant strides in infrastructure development especially roads, schools, bridges, boreholes and irrigation schemes

He said several schools were rehabilitated while new ones were built across the district under Village Zim-Asset.

“We also have irrigation schemes such a Makonese and Musvuugwa that were rehabilitated under Village Zim-Asset and they are operational today, boosting food security in the local communities. Some of the schemes were fenced while others had dilapidated canals repaired.’’

Mr Matavire hailed the launch of “Household-Zim-Asset’’ saying the new drive was going to consolidate the achievements scores under Zim-Asset in the district.

Dr Zivhu also announced plans to honour veteran politician and Zanu PF politburo member Cde Josaya Hungwe for spearheading the development of Chivi district to what it was today.

“We want to honour Cde Hungwe, he is the Godfather of this district and many people from here who are leaders in various fields of endeavour today passed through his hands,’’ said Dr Zivhu.

Cde Hungwe, who is also Pyschomotor Activities in Education and Vocational Training Minister was also a long-time Governor for Masvingo where he initiated many developmental projects that transformed the face of the province.

The launch was witnessed by Chivi RDC councillors and members of the local business community.