Government, UNDP help Beitbridge farmers migrate to solar energy United Nations Development Programme

Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Government in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has boosted the operational capacity of nine irrigation projects in Beitbridge District.

This was done under a three-year Zimbabwe Resilience Programme (ZRP) that ran between 2017 and 2020.

Before then most of the benefiting irrigation projects were performing poorly due to a litany of challenges among them power outages.

Solar

The UNDP availed US$5,3 million for the initiative which also covers non-forestry timber projects in Nyanga.

The ZRP is being implemented through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlement under the PROGRESS consortium led by the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

Other members of the consortium are Cesvi, Matopo Research Centre, and Biohub.

Cesvi’s Area Co-ordinator for Beitbridge, Mr Munyaradzi Katemaudzanga, said although the rehabilitation project was expected to have ended in 2020 final touches are being done on some projects.

Mr Katemaudzanga said they had worked on River Ranch, Ndambe Phase 1 and 2, Jalukange, Bili, Dombolidenje, Shashe, Kwalu, and Tongwe irrigation schemes with the help of community members.

“Currently we are working together with the Department of Irrigation and our presence in Beitbridge district is overwhelming,” said Mr Katemaudzanga.

irrigation schemes

“We are working on nine irrigation schemes where there are various types of water delivery systems which are being upgraded.

In line with climate change, we are moving away from water-wasting methods to water saving technology which includes the use of drips and sprinklers and centre pivots.”

He said they were on a solar green climate drive and so far they have installed solar plants at most irrigation schemes.

The projects, he said, were now operating with 50 percent solar energy that’s complementing the grid electricity.

Mr Katemaudzanga said the long-term plan was to ensure that operations at these projects depend 100 percent on solar energy.

“We want them to be independent of the general electricity grid whose supply has been erratic,” he said.

“The use of solar energy will help the farmers to cut operations costs. For now, they have to use 50 percent electricity and 50 percent solar energy.

“This has worked well at many projects including at Jalukange where we have a 33kV solar plant, where there has been no constant power supply in the last three years”.

Electricity

Members of the community, he said, have started appreciating the Government and its partners for revitalising the agricultural sector.

He said the introduction of robust irrigation management committees and business development officers would ensure the farming projects are properly managed.

A plotholder at the 57-hectare Jalukange Irrigation Scheme, Mrs Mathamela Moyo, said the ZRP initiative had brought hope to some farmers who were contemplating giving up because of the poor state of affairs.

“As women, we are happy that we now have another alternative revenue stream to boost income at the household level.

The level of commitment to excel by the farmers is encouraging,” she said.

Another farmer, Ms Nomsa Moyo said they were now focusing on growing crops with a higher value on the market since they now have irrigation water and a constant power supply from the new solar plant.

“We are now majoring in chia and wheat, which have a higher market value and it’s pleasing to note that the Government is linking us with inputs suppliers and the local markets,” said Ms Moyo. — @tupeyo

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