Published: 27 September 2017

THE United National Development Programme (UNDP) has availed $5, 3 million towards agricultural production in Beitbridge and Nyanga District under a three-year Zimbabwe Resilience Programme.

The project is being implemented through the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development and is expected to take off in the first week of next month.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is leading the implementation of the programme that is being rolled out by a consortium made up of Cesvi, Matopos Research Centre and Biohub.

Speaking during a stakeholders' meeting in Beitbridge at the weekend IRC coordinator, Ms Silvia Khumalo, said the programme covers rehabilitation of nine irrigation schemes in Beitbridge and development of non-timber forests among other issues.

"In Nyanga we will work more on the development of non-timber forests and mechanised agriculture," she said.

"Some of the irrigation schemes, which will be resuscitated in Beitbridge are - Bili, Shashe, Jalukanga, Dombolidenje, River Ranch, Tongwe, Kwalu, Tshikwalakwala and Ndambe 2."

The projects are set to receive different forms of assistance depending on their state with Cesvi as the lead agency in Beitbridge.

Ms Khumalo said dryland farming was not viable in Beitbridge hence the need to prioritise irrigation farming.

She said they were working on training the beneficiaries and the agriculture extension workers on the scope of the programme.

Ms Khumalo said Matopos Research Centre will focus more on the animal husbandry aspect of the programme, while Biohub would concentrate on issues relating to natural resources.

She said they were looking at capacitating members of the community of modern farming techniques and improving resilience.

"We want to work on the value chain and commercialising most community-run projects to increase viability and economic returns.

"It is very critical that the end of programme more people will be self-sustaining and be able to adapt to the changes in market forces and life challenges," she said.

Cesvi head of mission, Mr Loris Palentini, said they had already conducted a needs assessment in the benefiting irrigation schemes and selected projects with bigger hectarages to ensure that more households benefit.

"The issues that need attention range from adequate irrigation water, irrigation infrastructure, electrification, fencing and marketing analysis," he said.

Acting Beitbridge Administrator, Mr Jason Mugodzwa, said other development agencies should emulate the UNDP and work on rehabilitation of key infrastructure including boreholes and roads.
- zimpapers

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