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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has sunk two solar-powered boreholes at Zinaphe Irrigation Scheme in Lupane to capacitate villagers and ensure there is food security.

Zinaphe Irrigation Scheme, with 55 members, 38 of whom are women, was established in 1955 for Sibomvu and Ngadlwana villagers in Tshongogwe.

Over the years production at the scheme has been going down owing to lack of a reliable water supply as the three dams that feed it are silted and almost dry due to poor rains.

The UNDP installed 18 solar panels to power two boreholes with the aim of resuscitating the 15 hectare scheme which at its peak produced close to 100 tonnes of maize per year.

The UNDP’s intervention comes as Government has appealed for partnerships to resuscitate all irrigation schemes countrywide to improve food and nutrition.

The Chronicle could not verify how much UNDP invested in the project which was completed last month.

In an interview, the irrigation scheme committee secretary, Mrs Sibusisiwe Ncube, appealed to Government to complement efforts made by the UNDP. 

“We grow mainly maize, wheat and vegetables which we sell locally. However, production has been going down over the years due to poor rains which have left our three dams that supply the irrigation dry. It is our appeal to Government to help us drill more boreholes to complement the two sunk by UNDP so we increase capacity,” said Mrs Ncube.

The irrigation scheme draws water from the dams using the canal system.

The three dams are almost dry owing to poor rains received this year, Mrs Ncube said.

She said in 2016 they harvested 76 tonnes of maize and production fell to 63.5 tonnes the following years.

The downward trend in production continued last year where only 21 tonnes of maize was harvested and only 3.8 tonnes realised last year.

Mrs Ncube blamed the low production on poor rains and the outbreak of fall armyworm.

Mrs Sibongile Mpofu, who is also a member of the committee running the irrigation scheme, said additional boreholes would increase production.

“We have just started using the boreholes from UNDP which are still new. Currently the situation is very bad as output has been going down every year but we know we can intensify once we get more boreholes,” she said.

Mrs Mpofu said the irrigation scheme is a source of livelihood for the community as they can pay school fees, buy livestock, household property and food for their families.

Irrigation scheme members also struggle to get a market for their produce. – @ncubeleon