The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Agricultural Rural Development Authority (Arda) is ready to work with all partners in the transformation and utilisation of the country’s irrigation schemes and is in the process of recruiting 450 managers in a bid to reach targeted yields.
Arda is on a recruitment drive as the country seeks to maximise on the available and arable land to ensure food security for the nation. Chief executive officer Mr Tinotenda Mhiko said this while addressing delegates to an interactive meeting with the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr Anxious Masuka and Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution on agriculture and land issues on Friday in Bulawayo.
“We agreed to start with a pilot of 32 irrigation schemes which is a selection of four in the eight provinces where our activities are concentrated. In terms of recruitment of the scheme business managers we have recruited 28 so far and the remaining four will be completed soon. Out of the 28, half have already been deployed to various provinces like Mashonaland East, Manicaland and Matabeleland,” he said.
Arda board chairman Mr Craig Irvin said they will soon engage Ministers of State to share with them their vision for the revamped irrigation schemes and how they expect them to operate moving forward.
“We are going to approach all Provincial Ministers and come up with a programme on how we are going to strategise around all schemes so that they are able to produce and be able to secure markets through market linkages. We also seek to produce the required quantities in terms of yield potentials and quality as well. We will ensure we recruit competitive managers at the schemes in conjunction with Agritex for support,” said Mr Craig.
Chief Director Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Engineer Tinayeshe Mutazu stressed the need to revive smallholder schemes.
“As we try to climate proof our agriculture, irrigation development becomes very key and small holder irrigation in particular will assist us in achieving food and nutrition security. Currently we have 26 000 hectares (ha) under smallholder irrigation schemes, 13 000 which are at different levels of operationalisation. The challenges around these schemes revolve around sustainability and viability,” said Eng Mutazu.
He said there were irrigation management schemes committees that were managing the schemes and the passing of a new Statutory Instrument is set to improve operations.
“As Government we have come up with a Statutory Instrument to assist. We have come up with a strategy on the rehabilitation of non-functional irrigation schemes. We think these quick fixes will assist us. We seek to expand existing irrigation schemes that are operating at the moment under a small holder support programme which is supported by donors and Government and seeks to bring 6 000 hectares under irrigation,” said Eng Mutazu.
He said the Ministry will develop irrigation schemes on on-going dam projects.
“In Matabeleland North we have Bulawayo Kraal where we want to do some 15 000ha and Gwayi-Shangani where we will do another 10 000ha. In Matabeleland South we already are working with Zhovhe Dam but we seek to expand the irrigation scheme by an additional 5 000ha and then later Thuli Manyange Dam which is under construction will also come on board and give us an additional 5 000ha under irrigation, he said.
He said that if all the schemes are brought on board, they will be very close to the targeted 350 000ha of land under irrigation over the next three years. The new Statutory Instrument 38 of 2021 will clarify irrigation asset ownership and transfer of smallholder farmers.
“We also hope that covered in the SI is the protection of these water bodies from siltation and pollution as well as the linkages in particular with markets. It will also speak to the issue of capacitation of extension staff and revival of the existing schemes. There needs to be new technology, solar power and facilitate the necessary infrastructure around it. We have also come up with several models and particularly one that brings in a scheme manager under Arda who is the technocrat that will be leading all operations at the schemes. The manager will be supported by committees of a technical nature too,” said Eng Mutazu. — @NyembeziMu
