Zimpapers Logo

Patrick Chitumba, Online Writer

THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has assured farmers that dams have sufficient water to meet the 120 000 hectare winter wheat target and has put in place measures to ensure a successful winter cropping season.

In a statement on Wednesday, Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said despite the poor rainfall season where some dams did not receive significant inflows, overall, dams have sufficient water for winter wheat production.

“Following Government pronouncements on the 2024 winter cropping targets, Zinwa would like to assure water users that dams have sufficient water to meet the 120 000-hectare winter wheat target and the Authority has put in place measures to ensure a successful winter cropping season,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga said as part of efforts to ensure a smooth season and in support of the Government’s thrust of improving food security, promoting the uptake of irrigation agriculture and encouraging productivity on farms, Zinwa has put in place mechanisms to allow A2 farmers, with stop order arrangements, uninterrupted access to water and pay after selling their produce at the end of the season.

“In this regard, Zinwa will implement seasonal billing, as opposed to monthly billing, for irrigating A2 farmers with stop order arrangements with various financiers or approved buyers of produce. This will allow Zinwa to provide uninterrupted water supplies to the farmers, who are then expected to pay their water bills once they are paid for their produce,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga said A2 farmers on stop-order facilities will not be charged monthly interest on overdue bills as was the case before and Zinwa will only start levying interest after the farmers have been paid.

“Zinwa is therefore urging farmers to take advantage of these arrangements for a seamless winter cropping season,” she said.

As of March 28, Ms Munyonga said the country’s national dam level average stood at 80. 7 percent against an expected average of 71. 8 percent during this time of the year with major national dams holding water capable of irrigating 207 107 hectares of land.

She said the hectarage can even be higher considering water held in other smaller dams.

“Due to the poor rains during the closing season, where some dams did not receive any significant inflows and others already decreasing due to a surge in irrigation water demand for the summer crop, all farmers intending to undertake winter cropping activities are encouraged to renew their water abstraction agreements and secure water allocations in the dams before planting the winter crop,” said Mrs Munyonga.