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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
FARMERS operating at Portbury Irrigation Scheme in Umzingwane District have appealed for Government intervention in tackling the disruptive impact of illegal gold mining activities, which are now threatening their production and source of livelihood.

The irrigation scheme was recently rehabilitated and has 25 hectares under wheat.

Gold panners have invaded a section of the irrigation scheme, which has not been irrigated and operate mostly at night, farmers said.

The culprits reportedly sneak through and after doing their activities leave the gate open, creating a pathway for animals to invade the scheme and damage the crop.

As result, goats, donkeys and cattle have been helping themselves to the new crop on several occasions while illegal mining operations are also causing land degradation.

While plans are underway to expand the area under irrigation, farmers say gold panners have become a new threat and if not dealt with, could damage the key irrigation infrastructure and environmental pollution, which will negatively affect the economy.

A farmer and committee member at Portbury Irrigation Scheme, Mr Job Moyo, said authorities should conduct operations in the area and stop the illegal mining operations.

“We were operating at a low scale all along and now our irrigation scheme has been revived following intervention from the Government.

“We fear that our efforts will be in vain because of the damage being caused by illegal gold panners,” he said. “They come to our scheme especially at night to conduct their panning activities at a section of the irrigation, which has not been irrigated.

“The illegal gold panners come in and leave the gate open and livestock stray into the scheme and consume our crops. If this persists then our output will be affected.

“There is no way that mining and farming activities can co-exist in the same area. There is need for these illegal mining activities to be stopped. These illegal miners also use our water at the irrigation scheme and leave taps open.”

Another farmer, Ms Prudence Ncube, said they feared that once they expand the irrigation scheme, the illegal gold panners might resist. She said the panners have also caused serious land degradation on their land.

ARDA Portbury Irrigation Scheme manager, Mr Sindiso Mlalazi, said the irrigation scheme has a total of 100 hectares. He said illegal panners took advantage when the irrigation scheme was being underutilised to conduct their illegal activities.

Mr Mlalazi said the presence of the illegal gold panners was going to affect the viability of the irrigation scheme.

“The irrigation scheme has a lot of potential but the presence of illegal gold panners will affect the growth of the scheme and its viability,” he said.

“The farmers will not manage to reach their targeted output if livestock continues straying in the scheme and eating up their crops.

“When it’s time to expand their operations, the farmers will have a difficult time to cover up the pits, which have been created.”

Umzingwane Member of Parliament, Retired Brigadier- General Levi Mayihlome, said he had received complaints from the farmers operating at Portbury on the destruction being caused by illegal gold panners. He said he will engage the police and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) over the matter.

Rtd Brig-Gen Mayihlome said illegal gold panning activities were threatening the livelihoods of community members.

EMA Matabeleland South provincial manager Mr Decent Ndlovu said there was a need to regularise metal detectors.

He said the major motivation of illegal gold panners was their use of metal detectors and admitted that land degradation as a result of illegal mining activities was mostly common in Umzingwane, Insiza, Matobo and Gwanda districts.

A study done by EMA has revealed that illegal mining has damaged a total 11 163 hectares of land while degrading 1 555km of riverbank ecosystems in the country.

The miners are said to be damaging plantations, grazing areas, fields, urban areas, road, rail and electricity transmission servitudes and have become a threat to socio-economic development.

Despite efforts by the Government to formalise and regulate unregistered mining operations, illegal gold mining activities have remained a major problem in some parts of the province leading to the destruction of the ecosystem in many areas endowed with the mineral. -@DubeMatutu