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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A non-governmental organisation, Cesvi, has started rehabilitating nine irrigation schemes in Beitbridge as part of a three-year Zimbabwe Resilience Programme, which is funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

UNDP has availed $5,3 million for the initiative, which will also cover non forestry timber projects in Nyanga.

The resilience initiative is being implemented through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement under a consortium led by the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

Other members of the consortium include Cesvi, Matopos Research Centre and Biohub.

Cesvi’s area development coordinator for Beitbridge Mr Munyaradzi Katema said civil works were at various stages at the identified irrigation projects.

“Some of the irrigation schemes under resuscitation in Beitbridge include, Bili, Shashe, Jalukanga, Dombolidenje, River Ranch, Tongwe, Kwalu, Tshikwalakwala and Ndambe 2,” said Mr Katema.

“These are receiving different assistance depending on their state.

“You will note that dry land farming is not viable in Beitbridge and hence the need to prioritise irrigation farming.

“So far we are covering 60 hectares at Kwalu where two centre pivots to cover 26 hectares and 34 hectares respectively have been procured.

“Land clearing and erection of an electric fence is underway.”

Mr Katema said a solarised pivot would be installed at the 16ha Dombolidenje Irrigation Scheme and that so far 5ha have been put under sugar beans on a Seed-Co contract.

He said installation of an electric fence was underway at the 9ha Ndambe Phase 2 project.

According to Mr Katema, civil works were at various stages at Tongwe, River Ranch, Shashe, Jalukange and Bili projects.

The district agriculture extension officer Mr Masauso Mawocha said a total of 211 cows were inseminated under the resilience programme’s animal husbandry component.

He said 187 cows had conceived, translating to 88,6 percent success rate.

Mr Mawocha said the state of irrigation projects in the district was deplorable, though many players had expressed an interest to revitalise them.

“We expect works to start soon at Tshikwalakwala Irrigation Scheme in Beitbridge East Constituency, whose revitalisation is funded by the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD),” he said.

“The project falls under IFAD’s Smallholder Irrigation Revitilisation Programme (SIRP).”