Gwayi-Shangani an answer to climate change effects

29 Jan, 2023 - 00:01 0 Views
Gwayi-Shangani an answer to climate change effects

The Sunday News

Fairness Moyana recently in Mabale
THE Government is in the process of resuscitating irrigation schemes dotted around the country that have been derelict or underperforming as it moves towards enhancing communities’ capacities to mitigate the effects of climate change.

In an interview on the sidelines of a tour of Lake Gwayi-Shangani project on Thursday last week, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos said most of the 450 irrigation schemes were in a bad state and efforts were being directed towards their resuscitation.

Deputy Minister Vangelis Peter Haritatos

“We have 450 schemes that are in different parts of the country. Most of them were derelict and in a bad state but I’m happy to say that some of them are now running well as we have deployed managers under  Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) to every single one of them. We are trying to help our farmers with the management of our irrigation schemes and that explains why we are involving Arda.

“We are looking at a situation where farmers will graduate and run the schemes themselves taking over from the Arda manager, but they have an option of retaining them. We want farming to be sustainable and viable. We want our farmers to understand that farming is a business and this is the direct way of ensuring that we uplift livelihoods in Zimbabwe,” said Deputy Minister Haritatos.

The Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda)

He said the Government was working on ensuring that the effects of climate change were minimised through interventions such as placing vast portions of land under irrigation with a target of 350 000ha having been put in place.

“Climate change is real and we will never be able to change that so what we are trying to do is work on mitigating the impacts hence part of our intervention strategy is irrigation development.

“Our target is 350 000ha of functional irrigation, probably what is functional right now is about 200 000ha so we still have another 150 000ha to develop in terms of irrigation schemes. So, this dam is part and parcel of our programme to develop 10 000ha which is going to have downstream benefits plus an additional 252km pipeline to supply potable water to Bulawayo.”

Haritatos said the ministry would assist with the mechanisation of the schemes with ZW$500 million having been offered under the Mechanisation Alliance.

The positive ripple effects of the Lake Gwayi-Shangani project will see the establishment of a greenbelt from the source or host communities through to Bulawayo with 200ha blocks of irrigation schemes set to be established.

More than 700 families set for relocation mostly under Chief Kavula in Binga District will also benefit through construction of houses and irrigation schemes as well as access to potable water.
Addressing stakeholders before the tour of the project, Local Government and Public Works Minister, July Moyo said agriculture economic zones would be established where people would have been affected in order to improve their livelihoods.

“About 747 households will be affected by the project and these are set for reorganisation where we are saying we shall start with the economic zones in Chief Kavula’s area as it is the most impacted. So, we don’t want to reorganise them so that they become dependent on social welfare like we are doing at Chingwizi in Masvingo.”

The project is adopting an integrated approach which will see the establishment of 10 000ha irrigation schemes along the Lake and pipeline corridor, 10MW hydro power plant to supply electricity to Lupane, Binga and Hwange with excess being fed into the national grid, fisheries, eco-tourism, smart rural centres and a national park.

Meanwhile, traditional leaders from Hwange, Tsholotsho and Binga welcomed the development but expressed concerns over the failure by authorities to engage them, arguing that the massive project was not only meant to be an answer to Bulawayo’s perennial water challenges but local communities as well.

“We want our people to benefit from this project. We have areas such as Dete that should be supplied with clean water, same goes for Lusulu in Binga which is the breadbasket of the district. These purification pumps can’t supply water to other areas without ensuring that local communities have access to clean potable water,” said Chief Nelukoba in whose area the lake is located.

Chief Senator Sinsali of Binga echoed the same sentiments arguing that the province lacked dams and was riddled by water shortage with expectations that the project would prioritise communities.

The meeting which brought together traditional leaders from Matabeleland North Province who included Chiefs Nelukoba-Dingani, Nekatambe, Kavula, Siansali, Menyezwa, Matupula, Sinamagonde and Mabhikwa (both acting) was also attended by the Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs Minister Richard Moyo, Minister of State in the Vice- President’s Office Major-General (Retired) Sibangumuzi Khumalo and members from the Joint Operations Command (JOC) among other stakeholders.

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