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Zimbabwe National Water Authority
(Zinwa) and Mushandike farmers have joined hands to repair the canal at
Mushandike Irrigation Scheme which has been broken for three years.
Zinwa communications officer Marjorie
Munyonga said they were on their feet fixing the broken canal with the help of farmers
and dismissed allegations that they were forcing famers to work on the canal.
She said they were fixing the canal in
order to meet the farmers’ target for winter wheat planting on April 25.
“We are working together with the
farmers to meet the wheat planting target and we are almost halfway and we hope
to complete it in time as we promised since the resources are there,” said
Munyonga.
Mushandike Irrigation Scheme
chairperson Enere Butsumani said famers were happy with the work Zinwa was
doing and expressed optimism that work would be completed in time for planting.
He said farmers pledged to work together
with Zinwa to speed up the process so that they meet winter wheat planting
deadline.
“We are happy that the repairs on the
canal have started and we are helping Zinwa with labour because we want the
irrigation scheme to be up and running.
“A lot of livelihoods depend on the
success of this irrigation scheme so as farmers we agreed that we would provide
the resources at our disposal to make it work. Winter wheat planting season is
upon us and we are working against the clock,” said Butsumani.
The canal draws water from Mushandike
Dam.
