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George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Government has stepped up plans to create a greenbelt in northern parts of Chivi District and has identified a consultant to conduct feasibility studies on a proposed canal that will draw irrigation water from the underutilised Muzhwi Dam.

The canal will convey water from Muzhwi to Mushandike Dam and communities on either side of its path are set to benefit through irrigation.

Muzhwi is underutilised in Chivi, with its water irrigating Lowveld cane plantations, over 200 kilometres away, while adjacent communities are choked by drought every year owing to arid conditions blamed on perennial poor rains.

Government is working flat out to make sure all water bodies are optimally used to engender food security as Zimbabwe moves to be food secure in its quest to attain upper middle income status by 2030.

Director for Irrigation in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Dr Conrade Zawe revealed recently that a consultant for the Muzhwi pipeline project was now in place.

He said the pipeline would benefit communities in drought-prone Chivi.

‘’We are also running a parallel process from Muzhwi Dam where we want to improve available water in Mushandike Dam and plans are in motion to build a canal that will draw water from Muzhwi to Mushandike Dam,’’ he said.

‘’Communities on the left and right sides of the canal will also benefit through irrigation and the process is already underway and a consultant is already in place.’’

Dr Zawe said the planned Muzhwi irrigation projects, coupled with the ongoing development of irrigation at Tugwi-Mukosi, would immensely boost food security in dry parts of Masvingo and Chivi districts.

The planned pipeline to Mushandike will breathe life into Mushandike irrigation scheme which is currently choking under the weight of rampant siltation and cannot sustain provision of water to the entire 800 hectares designed for irrigation.

Water from Muzhwi is conveyed to Lowveld cane fields via Shashe River which also feeds into Tugwi River, which is one of the two tributaries of Tugwi-Mukosi Dam.

The other tributary is Mukosi River.

Chivi has one of the highest number of underutilised dams in Masvingo, but communities in the province perennially grapple with food shortages because lack of capacity to harness the water for irrigation.

Besides Muzhwi and Tugwi-Mukosi, the district is also home to Bindamombe Dam.

All the three dam provide irrigation water to Lowveld cane plantations through the Tugwi-Mukosi river system.