INCREASE GUMBO
MIRROR REPORTER

CHIREDZI – Chiredzi District Development Co-ordinator (DDC), Lovemore Chisema last week led a groundbreaking ceremony for a solar-powered irrigation scheme that will benefit 65 households in Malipati and mitigate debilitating effects of climate change.
The water is drawn from Mwenezi River and one of the crops that will be grown and has a ready market is paprika.
The scheme with phase one already completed is jointly supported by Sustainable Agriculture Technology (SAT) Zimbabwe, Chiredzi Rural Council (RDC) and Malipati Development Trust (MDT).
The project is an initiative of the villagers who approached the funders with an appeal for the establishment of the scheme. The farmers surrendered 32 hectares of their fields to the scheme.
Phase one includes the installation of the solar facility, erecting of a center pivot, construction of a night storage dam and installation of pumps and pipes,” said Betha.
Malipati and most of Chiredzi have been suffering droughts year after year and have resorted to small grains.
SAT District Project Coordinator, Lemson Betha said they funded the project after villagers donated 32h of land for the irrigation scheme.
“Villagers surrendered their fields for the irrigation and we funded the project. We have so far completed the first phase which include installation of the solar facility, erecting of a center pivot with a capacity to irrigate 34h in full circle, construction of a night storage dam and installation of pumps and pipes which pump water from Mwenezi river to the dam,” said Betha.
Chief Sengwe hailed the scheme and said this would provide relief to his people.
Chisema hailed Malipati community for initiating the project.
Chiredzi Rural Dustrict Council chairperson Aspect Mashingaudze said there are communities that are shunning such projects and said it would be a good idea for Mnangagwa to grace the commissioning of the project.
Laiza Jachi, one of the villagers said her harvest has over the years gone down to two buckets of sorghum.
“We are harvesting two buckets of sorghum per year hence we decided to start this project,” she said.