Melinda Kusemachibi
Urban based Zimbabweans who derive livelihoods from horticulture which has a lucrative local market were dealt a blow by local authorities who recently went on an operation cutting down crops cultivated in undesignated places.
Municipal police went around residential areas destroying fields of nearly ripe maize, which has been attributed to efforts to curb stream bank cultivation, which has been one of the major causes of siltation in urban water bodies.
There has been rising concern over stream bank cultivation, with some urbanites being accused of damaging sewer infrastructure to water their maize plots along rivers that run through urban areas.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) is on record warning that streams are fragile and therefore should not be used for farming unless a conservation plan is in place.
Innocent Gono, Conservation Specialist with the department of Agriculture Engineering, Mechanization and Soil Conservation said stream bank cultivation causes siltation of water resources leading to loss of such resources.
“Stream bank cultivation is a matter of concern in our country. It causes lower water quality leading to high cost on water purification. Stream bank cultivation is caused by growing of crops and application of fertilizers within the river banks leading to water pollution through enrichment from dissolved nutrients.
“This leads to dams being progressively reduced in volume and eventually filled up and also eutrophication poisons aquatic life, fish dying in dams while choking aquatic plants. Highly silted dams pose a threat as livestock can become stuck in the mud,” said Gono.
He went on to say those living on or practicing agriculture along the streams should be moved out of those areas.
“Solution on stream bank cultivation is resettlement to lift pressure off the rivers and the community should be educated on the dangers of stream bank cultivation,” said Gono.
Social Economic Action and Transformation for Humanity Chairperson Tendai Mafuka said stream bank cultivation should be banned in and around the country.
“For our environment to be protected, stream bank cultivation should be banned and farmers have to be educated on sustainable farming practices. The legislature must enact laws or policies that protect the environment.
“Environmental Management Act Chapter 20:27 as read with Statutory Instrument 7 on Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystems Protection Regulation, clearly states that it is an offence to degrade rivers and practice bank cultivation. Any person who contravenes the statutory requirement, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding level 10,” said Mafuka.
She also said that those practicing stream bank cultivation should seek proper fields.
“They need to stop. If they want to do farming, they should seek for proper fields from responsible authorities. There are a lot of dangers in stream bank cultivation despite the fact that they think it gives fast growing fields,” said Mafuka.
Masvingo Ward 8 councilor Against Chiteme said people should avoid cutting down trees and practicing stream bank cultivation or they will be arrested.
This was said during a handover of trees donation done by Fauna and Flora Zimbabwe (FaFlo Zim) to Masvingo City Council.
“In Mucheke River, people are cutting down trees and practicing agriculture along the river banks. Such people should be arrested as it is causing siltation of rivers and dams,” said Chiteme.
He went on to say that those who want to practice agriculture should go to rural areas not in urban setup.
Council Housing Director Levison Nzvura said that council has embarked on cutting down all crops planted along Mucheke River.
“Those that are practicing stream bank cultivation along Mucheke River had their crops destroyed. You cannot hear about it because they do not complain about it, otherwise if they had done a good thing, you would have heard about it. Residents know that you (referring to Chiteme) do not support people who are into stream bank cultivation which will result in siltation,” said Nzvura.
In spite of its implications, Masvingo residents continue to defy the odds by cultivating crops near stream banks.
Urban agriculture if practiced sustainably is of paramount importance as it supports the livelihoods of many, significantly reducing the cost of living for low income earners in the country.
A farmer (name withheld) who has a maize field along Mucheke river whose crops were destroyed said that what the council did was wrong as they survive on farming.
“Council knows that the rise of urban agricultural activities is due to economic hardships in the country. We survive by cultivating along the river. They should have communicated with us earlier on before chopping down our crops,” she said.
Another farmer Kennedy Mhlanga said that people practice urban agriculture so as to survive in this harsh economic environment.
“Beside the laws that prohibit stream bank cultivation, it is a way of substituting buying commodities in shops since they have alternative sources of commodities like maize-meal,” said Mhlanga.
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) recently warned that Zimbabwe’s biggest inland lakes, Tugwi-Mukosi and Mutirikwi were under threat as most dams in the country have been highly affected by siltation.
