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Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]

FACED with the risk of losing the entire 150 hectares of prime winter wheat crop and a thriving potato field due to drying water sources, Feed the Nation, operating at Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) Jotsholo Estate, has dug a canal within Tshangani River to save the crop through sustained irrigation until the rain season.

With water sources drying up in most parts of the country, the situation is worse for farmers in Matabeleland region, threatening the viability of both small and large scale irrigation farmers.

Previously the irrigation scheme drew its water from a weir within the river, which dried up two weeks ago due to weak inflows in the last season. Left with no option, project proprietor Mr Brent Le Reux’s said they had to be innovative to survive the harsh climate change reality to ensure their crop survives up to harvest time.

This inspired the idea to join hands with the local community to dig up a canal within the river to salvage enough water to continue supporting irrigation operations.

Mr Le Reux yesterday took a Chronicle news crew through some of the expansive works being conducted at the irrigation scheme and how they were addressing some of the climate shocks that were threatening their investment.

The news crew observed young men digging a canal, which has already started supplying water to the irrigation estate. Mr Le Reux said despite the climate shocks, they were expecting a good harvest.

“We have been pumping water from the Tshangani River. We have a weir, which normally holds about 2,5 million cubic metres of water when it is full. But because of minimal rainfall we had last year, the weir dried up two weeks ago and we didn’t have enough water to finish irrigating                                                                   our winter crop and potatoes,” he said. 

“But we have learnt that we should never give up, we just have to find a way. So, we contracted some young men and armed them with shovels and we started digging a canal to find water,” said Mr Le Reux.

He said they have dug a 1,5km long canal and want to make it 7km long. 

“It allows water from pools upstream of the river to come down. Also, there is water in the sand and when you dig deeper it allows water to permeate the sand and it will keep us going until the rains come in December,” said Mr Le Reux. 

“We have kept the potatoes and the wheat alive, just through determination and my engineering background has allowed us to do these things.”

Mr Le Reux said as a result of low rainfall, they had to reduce the wheat crop and could not afford to lose the crop planted.

“This year we have grown 150 hectares normally we would grow 350ha to 400ha but due to water restraints we haven’t been able to grow as much as we would have wanted,” he said. 

But to fight the challenge we have spent a lot of time ensuring that our crop is good and we get the best possible yield we can. The crop will be ready to harvest by the first week of October and we hope to contribute 12 000 tonnes of wheat to GMB and National Foods, which in turn translates to national food security.”

Mr Le Reux said the water challenges were also threatening a potato crop whose harvest is expected to commence in two week.

He said he would be supplying most parts of Matabeleland North with potatoes as he has one of the largest plants in the region where he will be harvesting an average of 40 to 50 tonnes per hectare.

With the prevailing drought causing livestock death mainly in the southern parts of the country, Mr Le Reux is producing cheaper livestock from the maize stalks.

He said the cheaper stock feed costs US$5 for a 50kg pack and one added with molasses is being sold for US$7, saying it is a timely stop gap measure that farmers can take advantage of to save cattle from drought related deaths. The stock feed is sold for up to US$18 in Bulawayo.

“We have amahlanga from the last season maize crop where we have planted 200ha. We cut all the maize stalks and it has good protein and the moisture. 

“We call it our maintenance feed. It will not make the cattle fat but will keep them alive until the next season. We mix it with molasses and we can supply most parts of Matabeleland,” he said. – @nqotshili