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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected] 

FARMERS in Umguza District, Matabeleland North Province have expressed concern over the water rationing programme being implemented by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa), saying it is likely to affect their projected winter wheat harvest.

Zinwa is rationing reclaimed water that flows from Bulawayo through a canal into the Umguza Dam. Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has introduced a tight water-shedding schedule to conserve the dwindling water supplies in the remaining supply dams in Umzingwane District.

Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services’ acting provincial director for Matabeleland North, Mr Thulani Ndlovu said 12 farmers are irrigating 96 hectares of winter wheat while 20 are doing horticulture on 100 hectares of land.

The farmers rely on the reclaimed water which Zinwa is now under rationing.

“To mitigate against the water rationing regime adopted by Zinwa, some farmers are making efforts to drill more boreholes while some have resorted to reducing the area under cropping,” said Mr Ndlovu.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development last week toured Thendele and Marsland farms in Umguza District to assess the state of the winter wheat crop.

At Thendele, the farm owner, Mr Charles Makhula, told the committee that he anticipates harvesting 145 tonnes from 29 hectares put under winter cropping.

In Marsland Farm, owned by the  Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Richard Moyo, the farm manager Mr Perculiar Moyo said their projected harvest is 110 tonnes, although the eventual tonnage may be slightly lower due to water rationing.

Speaking during the recent Parliamentary committee tour, Agricultural Rural Development Authority (Arda) regional manager Mr Ndodana Ncube said the projected harvests by farmers may not be achieved due to water rationing.

Contacted for comment, Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said they are not rationing water, but releasing it strictly per the hectarage and water requirements as contained in the water abstraction agreements that the farmers signed.

“Zinwa assures all farmers that they will get their full water allocations in line with their water abstraction agreements. 

“Where there are challenges, farmers are advised to engage their relevant Zinwa service centre and catchment offices,” she said.

Government embarked on the winter wheat cropping programme to boost the country’s food security in response to the El Nino-induced drought. Winter wheat is an annual staple crop, second in national importance after maize. It has a planting window from mid-April to the last week of May. This year, the window was extended by two weeks to June 14.

About 600 000 tonnes of wheat are expected to be harvested from about 120  000ha, against a national consumption of 360 000 tonnes per annum.

Last year, Zimbabwe managed a record winter wheat yield of 467 905 tonnes after 90 000ha were put under the crop compared to 375 000 tonnes harvested in 2022.

To safeguard and maximise yields, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, Professor Obert Jiri assured farmers that Government is taking all necessary steps such as quelea birds control, and ring-fencing of electricity for contracted wheat farmers’ irrigation requirements.

 The wheat grown this year will not only be for human consumption but also be used as stock feed, offering a supplementary nutritional option for animals.

The involvement of private market players, notably the Food Crop Contractors Association (FCCA), in financing and trading staple crops like wheat signifies a shift from Government monopoly to a more diverse and competitive market environment.