The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
THE Department of Irrigation in Matabeleland North has started installing equipment acquired under Brazil’s $98, 6 million loan facility at all irrigation schemes that benefited under the programme in the province.
The Brazil loan facility is part of the South American country’s More Food Africa programme.
Matabeleland North provincial chief engineer Charles Makhula said installation of the equipment started two weeks ago and was expected to be completed before the end of this month.
Eight irrigation schemes benefitted under the Brazilian facility, which also saw 23 tractors being distributed in the province.
The irrigation schemes that were allocated the equipment are Bulawayo Kraal, Phaphamani, Alicedale, Bona, Redwood, Thuthukani, Diglis Park and Fanisoni.
“We have started installing the Brazilian irrigation equipment with all the irrigation schemes being fitted with the horse reel irrigating system except Bona and Bulawayo Kraal, which will be fitted with centre pivots.
“Two weeks ago we fitted boreholes at some of the schemes and I think we will complete fitting equipment at Phaphamani this week following the arrival of gate valves that were stalling work including fabrication work and some few touch ups there,” Eng Makhula said.
He said work on the other irrigation schemes would be completed before the end of the month as it was being delayed by the unavailability of some components.
“We have since received the PVC pipes, which convey water from the booster pumps to the horse reels. We are, however, expecting to receive these pipes sometime next week. Fitting the pipes is a one day job and on the third day we are likely to be conducting trial runs,” Eng Makhula said.
He urged farmers to effectively utilise the equipment to enhance their production so as to enhance food security as well as to enable them to repay the loan.
“Some of the schemes didn’t benefit from the facility because they are surface schemes while others are likely to benefit in the second phase. All things being equal the equipment must enable them to boost production and what could be a plus to the farmers is that these systems are highly mechanised thus they need less labour.
“The new system brings in the concept of group dynamics, which is otherwise coherent meaning that instead of apportioning the fields among themselves the farmers will now have to plough, sow and irrigate at one go. Since this is a loan they must also be geared to pay back,” Eng Makhula said.
Matabeleland North Department of Agricultural Technical and Extension Services provincial officer Mr Dumisani Nyoni said the installation of equipment would go a long way towards increasing productivity at the irrigation schemes, which has over the years been affected by issues to do with soil fertility and moisture.
“The mitigating thing has always been issues to do with soil fertility and moisture and this irrigation equipment will go a long way in addressing issues to do with soil moisture but farmers should now up their management practices so as to maximise on yields.
“Since it’s a loan they should ensure that their production should meet their production costs to enable them to pay back. They should be optimising yield per unit area,” Mr Nyoni said.
