Top irrigation schemes in line for cash windfall
TOP-PERFORMING irrigation schemes are set to reap huge monetary benefits following
the setting up of a US$1 million facility by the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation
Programme (SIRP) in partnership with the United States African Development
Foundation (USADF) to reward good work and cultivate a culture of business among
irrigation schemes.
SIRP projects coordinator Mr Odreck Mukorera yesterday said smallholder farmers and
small businesses working around the rehabilitated irrigation schemes can compete with
each other to win funding from the US$1 million facility to up-scale their agricultural
and or business operations.
“The US$1 million facility will benefit smallholder farmers and agriculture groups in
Matabeleland South, Midlands, Masvingo and Manicaland,” said Mr Mukorera.
The facility is intended to enhance inputs, boost production and provide relevant
technical business training to participants.
“The aim of the fund is to support sustainable business models from farmers mainly so
that they can take farming as a business and in turn be able to independently maintain
and operate their revitalised irrigation schemes without the need to seek support from
the Government or any other sources,” said Mukorera.
SIRP has since conducted the first round of the competition with the first set of
beneficiaries set to receive grants early 2023.
Mr Mukorera highlighted that the fund was set up after a realisation that many irrigation
schemes were dying due to lack of proper maintenance, as farmers were failing to realise
profits from their farming operations.
The development comes at a time the Government is working to transform irrigation
schemes into both production hubs and centres of business excellence to accelerate the
attainment of an upper-middle- income economy and rural development.
In addition, SIRP is supporting the training of Agricultural and Rural Development
Authority (ARDA) scheme managers and extension workers on irrigation scheme
business management to assist farmers to run their farming businesses profitably and
ensure continued production.
“The objective is to decrease vulnerability of smallholder farmers to food and nutrition
insecurity, climate change effects and economic shocks,” said Mr Mukorera stressing on
the need for farmers to sustain their own farming operations without continuous
assistance.
In response to climate change, SIRP has been rehabilitating irrigation schemes to enable
farmers to produce all year around.
SIRP is a seven-year programme funded by International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD), OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and the
Government of Zimbabwe, which is meant to build resilience among smallholder farming
communities around the country.- The Herald
