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Elton Manguwo

Irrigation development in the agriculture sector is set to position the country for grain exporting by boosting production despite the climate change effects.

Addressing stakeholders during an Irrigation Working Group meeting yesterday, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos said that the country required a minimum capacity 350 000 hectares of irrigated land to ensure the nation is food self- sufficient and a net exporter of grain.

“Food security can only be guaranteed if irrigation development meets national demand. We can no longer rely on rain-fed agriculture as a sustainable and viable option to food self-sufficiency in our country,” said Dep Min Haritatos.

The country has many water resources with an estimated potential to irrigate over two million hectares. Therefore, the Government is partnering the private sector to tap into these water bodies increasing the area under irrigation.

Irrigation can help farmers in diversifying their farming operations allowing them to produce all year round.

“For small-scale farmers who in most cases are affected by the effects of climate change irrigation development will provide alternative sources of water during mid-season dry spells,” he said.

The director of Irrigation Development Engineer Bezzel Chitsungo said that the country had close to 220 000ha equipped with irrigation infrastructure.

“Full time crops such as sugarcane, citrus and tea among other crops grown at commercial estates, amount to 100 000ha of the functional irrigated land amplifying the need for more area,” said Eng Chitsungo.

The increase of irrigable land in the country is crucial in supporting the attainment of an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income economy as well as achieving National Development Strategy (NDS1) targets.

Government is also spearheading the construction of 12 high impact dams aimed at modernising the agricultural sector in line with facilitating a modern, sustainable and climate smart agricultural sector.

Eng Chitsungo said that irrigation expansion was a result-based intervention set to directly impact the attainment of Vision 2030 as an accelerator.