Relief for farmers

LIVINGSTONE MARUFU 

A decision by the government to lower sub-catchment council rates and suspend the water levy  has brought a sigh of relief  to farmers who plan to put a portion of their land under irrigation during the summer cropping season of 2023–2024.

The move by the administration has resulted in a more than 30% decrease in the cost of raw water.

The administration cut the amount of water allotted for irrigated maize by a quarter and the sub catchment council rate by 50%.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development minister Anxious Masuka  this week said the move will significantly  boost grain production in the summer cropping season.

“Government has come up with proposed relief measures for farmers for the 2023/2024 Season  which include the suspension of Water Levy Fund which is currently US$1.06/ megalitres (ML), reduction of Sub Catchment Council Rate to US$0.50/ ML from US$1.00, downward review of water allocation for irrigated maize by 25% to US$10.76/ML from US$14.35,” Masuka said.

He added: “The above proposals reduce raw water charges for all categories of farmers by 31%. This should incentivise more farmers to commit more area under irrigation for the 2023/2024 summer season. A post-paid arrangement for water, payable at the time of grain delivery to Grain Marketing Board  in 2024, will be instituted, charged in indicative United States dollars, but payable in Zimbabwe dollars, to preserve value.”

Farmers applauded the action, saying that lower raw water costs would entice more farmers to use irrigation.

“The lands ministry has acted accordingly in  reducing water tariffs. Water is an enabler as we can’t talk about irrigation without mentioning the precious liquid. Given the El Nino threats that is the right decision in the right direction as the farmers can produce at a  reduced cost,” the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) president Shadreck Makombe told Business Times.

Government has pegged the current price of raw water at US$16.41/Megalitres (5,000 drums) comprising (Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA)  tariff of US$14.35 + $1.00 Sub Catchment Council Levy + US$1.06 Water Fund Levy per Million Litres).

The authorities are reviewing the Water Act and the ZINWA Act to eliminate ZINWA’s regulatory responsibilities, convert ZINWA into a government water engineering agency, and simplify the management of the water industry.

The government will include  all the six components of water projects in all government projects (dam, water supply, mini-hydro, fisheries, power development and wastewater management) and abolish catchment and sub-catchment councils.

Raw water tariffs for Communal and A1 irrigators are subsided while A2, Local Authorities and Industries are charged at cost.

Commercial estates are charged above cost, to compensate for subsidised categories.

The cross subsidies are provided for in terms of the Water Act Chapter 20:24, Section 6 (1) (d) which mandates the Minister “to secure the provision of affordable water to consumers in underprivileged communities”.

Masuka said raw water users abstracting from dams managed by ZINWA are charged two additional levies over and above the ZINWA tariff.

The water sector reforms adopted in the late 1990s culminated in the promulgation of the Water Act [Chapter 20:24 of 1998] and the ZINWA Act [Chapter 20:25 of 2000].

This legislation had the main objectives of vesting all water in the President [Water Act: Chapter 20:24, Section 3] and abolishment of private ownership of water resources [Water Act: Chapter 20:24, Section 3].

Masuka said decentralising the management of water resources  led to the establishment of catchment councils and  sub- catchment councils [Water Act: Chapter 20:24, Section 3].

In order to promote the development of the rural, urban, industrial, mining, and agricultural sectors, the government established the principle of equity among all water users and gave the minister in charge of water the authority to “ensure the equitable and efficient allocation of the available water resources in the national interest.”