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Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
PUMPING of water to the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme in Binga has finally started after engineers managed to attend to leaking pipes, setting into motion the crucial project in the area.

The irrigation scheme, which was initiated in 2004, has been failing to take off due to funding challenges. First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe, last year came to the rescue when she sourced farming equipment comprising tractors, knapsack sprays, water pumping units, and disc ploughs, among others. Early this month 75 hectares of seed maize was dry planted but workers have been failing to irrigate because of leaking pipes. Scheme chairperson, Mrs Veronica Munkuli, yesterday said pumping of water to the reservoir at the farm began on Monday this week.

“Water is now at the reservoir as we have started pumping to it, which is a sign of progress. We have been facing challenges of leaks and as such the  seed maize we planted has been on the ground because pipes have been bursting since May,” she said.

Piping material has been on site, some of it underground, since 2010. Mrs Munkuli said as of Tuesday engineers were still busy pumping water into pivots to check on more leaks. She said 200ha had been cleared and will be planted in phases as the irrigation project’s goal is to produce seed maize for local producers.

“We have planted 75ha. We wanted 150ha and we will see since we have delayed because of the challenges. Today they are filling pivots and we hope by next week the whole area will be green,” said Mrs Munkuli.

She said plans were underway for a second pump to increase capacity. The multi-million dollar project that covers 16 000ha draws water from Zambezi River, a few kilometres away. — @ncubeleon