ZINWA audits farmers to ascertain individual water needs

Harare (New Ziana) -The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) is conducting an exercise to ascertain the individual requirements of wheat farmers throughout the country so that it can assist in increasing production, an official said on Thursday.

Zimbabwe is targeting to put 120 000 hectares under winter wheat this year and planting started on 1 May.

In the face of persistent droughts caused by climate change, the Zimbabwe government is taking a deliberate policy to promote the consumption of wheat and other cereals like rice, sorghum, and millet in place of the staple maize

This year the country is reeling under a severe drought which will see maize production dropping by more than 70 percent and the government providing food relief to millions of citizens.

Speaking during a tour of three farms in Goromonzi district, Mashonaland East province, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Obert Jiri said ZINWA has audited 35 000 hectares so far.

Jiri said ZINWA is conducting the exercise to verify and attend to the specific farmer situations, as some of the challenges were simply because there was no communication between the entity and farmers.

“An example in Mashonaland East, the Safari Dam water levels are very low but it feeds from Ruzawe Dam, which is a much bigger dam,” he said.

“The lack of communication led farmers around Safari Dam to abandon wheat production but after the intervention and Ruzawe Dam was opened, it automatically opened up 200 hectares to winter wheat, which are now being planted.

Jiri said there is enough water across the provinces, what is needed is to ensure that all the dams supply water where it is required, not letting it just sit in reservoirs.

New Ziana