“Recently, we incurred huge losses after our sugar beans crop wilted because of irrigation water shortages,” said Mrs Moyo.
Zaka’s head of Agriculture Extension Services, Mr Kennedy Pedzisai said recurrent power cuts were an impediment to irrigation based farming in the area, especially at Mabvute and Nyatare projects.
“The plot holders there have continually expressed concern over the sudden increase in daily load shedding schedules which forces them to work in the middle of the night.
“They allege such a development is exposing them to the cold weather and the latest set up has negatively affected their irrigation cycles,” he said.
Mr Pedzisai said wheat at the two irrigation schemes was close to flowering stage and required a lot of water.
A snap survey by The Herald at the schemes recently showed that crops including wheat, sugar beans and maize were suffering from severe moisture stresses due to the recurrent power cuts that scuttled irrigation farming.
Zaka District Development Coordinator, Mr Ndeya Nyede said he will engage the power utility on the way forward.
“We are going to meet Zesa officials to make sure we find working solutions on power cuts,” he said.
“Agricultural activities, especially irrigation schemes are very important and their development and increased productivity is in line with the Government’s Command Agriculture initiative,” he said.
Zaka district is a drought prone area where irrigation farming and livestock production are the main sources of income for communal farmers.
Source - https://www.herald.co.zw
