Zim has sufficient water for winter irrigation

FAITH MADZINGA

 

The  Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has said  the country’s dams have sufficient water  to meet the winter cropping irrigation needs.

ZINWA spokesperson, Marjorie Munyonga told Business Times this week: “As at May 27 2022 the national dam level average was 91.7% and the dams held water enough to support the irrigation of 240, 018 hectares of land”.

Masvingo Province has the highest irrigation potential at 132, 259 hectares followed by Manicaland at 30, 747 hectares, Mashonaland West  (26 113ha) ,  Midlands 22 225 (ha), Mashonaland Central (13 648ha) , Matabeleland South (9, 643ha), Matabeleland North (3 019ha) and Mashonaland East (2, 364ha).

Munyonga , however, encouraged  farmers to enter into water abstraction agreements with ZINWA, which will allow the State-owned entity to exclusively reserve the farmers’ water requirements in the dams.

Food Crops Contractors Association chairman, Graeme  Murdoch, told Business Times that there was enough water for the winter cropping season.

The president of the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union, Shadreck Makombe,  said: “ As much  as there is enough water, farmers now need to manage it well so that it will be enough for the whole winter cropping season.

“Matters of concern now turn to the electricity for driving the irrigation water and inputs.”

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