Increase Gumbo
CHIREDZI – The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has told small-scale sugarcane farmers that there is enough water to irrigate cane for the whole 2017 cropping season.
Addressing farmers at the Commercial Sugarcane Famers Association in Zimbabwe (CSFAZ) annual general meeting (AGM) in Hippo Valley last Friday, Zinwa regional manager Peter Shotere said the water utility was in a good position to meet demand.
“This year, we have enough water so we will give you 100 percent of the water you need but you should maintain your canals and utilise the water sparingly so that we do not waste water on nothing,” said Shotere.
He also applauded sugarcane farmers in areas like Mkwasine, Nandi, and Mapanza for timely settling their water bills but admonished small-scale sugarcane farmers in Hippo Valley Estates for failing to settle their water bills in time.
“Farmers in Mkwasine, Nandi and Mapanza have been complying very well in terms of settling their water bills and we do not have problems with them but we have problems with farmers from Hippo Valley. Since the Land Reform Programme, they are not paying their water bills well,” said Shotere.
CSFAZ chairperson Tawanda Mafurutu said they had facilitated an arrangement whereby their affiliate farmers in Hippo Valley pay the outstanding money after an agreed reconciliation.
“We engaged Zinwa on water arrears for the Hippo Valley farmers and resolved that farmers will pay after an agreed reconciliation through a payment plan,” said Mafurutu.
Mafurutu also said the water they harvested in their own dams will see them to the next season as most of the dams are full.local
