Nyagambe Irrigation Scheme, local farmer in joint venture

MARONDERA- The joint venture which was entered into by the Nyagambe Irrigation
Scheme and successful commercial farmer Beren Stockhill will result in each of the
scheme’s 29 farmers getting a US$4 000 dividend from the proceeds of this winter
wheat season.
Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) chief director
Professor Obert Jiri who stood in for the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr John Basera at a
wheat field day held at Kent Farm said the timely partnership will transform the lives
of villagers in Ward 3 in Marondera East constituency.
The scheme, which is now targetting to install its own pivot and a pump planted 50
hectares of winter wheat this season.
“It is pleasing to note that the Nyagambe Irrigation Scheme and the local farmer who
has been in the business for many years agreed to enter into a joint venture and they
are now expecting good yields from this season’s winter wheat.
“This comes as the Second Republic has made food security a top priority and is
working towards a US$8,2 billion agriculture industry economy, contributing 20
percent of GDP by 2025 underpinned by the country’s National Development
Strategy 1 (NDS1) the driver towards Vision 2030 to make Zimbabwe an upper
middle-class economy.
“Our Government is committed transform villagers through rural development which
is in line with President's Mnangagwa of leaving no one and no place behind. The
development of agriculture will lead to rural industrialisation which cause rural
development. Rural development will facilitate the attainment of an upper middle
income economy and eventually achievement of Vision 2030,” he said.
AARDS director Leonard Munamati said the Nyagambe Irrigation Scheme’s efforts
contributed to Mashonaland East province’s surpassing of its winter wheat target.
He said: “As a province, we were given target to plant 14 000ha but we managed to
surpass that after planting 15 606ha. The scheme contributed to the high figure that
we achieved and it shows that we are moving in the right direction.
“The scheme must now work on improving or upgrading their machinery so that they
can be in a position to continue contributing significantly to what we produce as a
province.”

According to the sales and agronomist for Seed-Co, Kazembe Maocha, the
Nyagambe Irrigation Scheme is likely to harvest yields of 9-10 tonnes per hectare.
Tendekai Marufu, the scheme’s chairman, applauded their joint venture with Stockhill
as well as the Presidential winter wheat input scheme which provided them with
inputs.
He said: "We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to President Cde
Mnangagwa for providing us with inputs. We managed to receive our inputs without
hassles hence we managed to achieve what we had planned.”
The Ministry has come up with Rural Development 8.0 which has proved to be a
game changer in agricultural sector of this country and the Government has been
working on ensuring that people in rural communities are incorporated in the agenda
to build the economy.