Irrigation scheme uplifts livelihoods

By Nontobeko Sibanda

MATSHOLOMOTSHE irrigation scheme, located 10km from Gwanda town, has transformed livelihoods of the locals for the better due to the booming farming practices.
The Matsholomotshe community are engaged in farming different crops, which have lifted many villagers in the area out of poverty, as they are also able to send children to school with some of the money obtained from selling the produce.
The irrigation scheme specialises in different crops depending on the seasons and uses canals to water the crops.
Gwanda town has proved to be their main market, where cars are found queuing at the gate of the scheme to buy the produce, which is then sold in Gwanda town.
Alicia Ncube, a farmer, expressed gratitude towards the establishment of the irrigation scheme, which has uplifted their standard of living.
“We are grateful for the irrigation scheme as it has done a lot in uplifting our living standards,” she said.
Another farmer, Gugulethu Ndlovu said that while they are having brisk business, flooding the Gwanda market, they hoped to spread their wings further.
“The challenge that we are facing is the scarcity of markets to sell our produce. We have flooded the Gwanda market and at times we end up selling produce at very low prices,” she said.