Bikita to benefit from $800 000 Weir

People from Ward 10 in Bikita will soon benefit from an $800 000 Kufandada Weir whose construction is just about to be completed along Rozvi River, Masvingo Mirror has reported.

The weir whose construction started early last year is being built by Climate Resilience Infrastructure Development Facility (CRIDF), a programme that is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) UK.

CRIDF website states that the Kufandada Weir entails improving access to water by providing irrigation infrastructure for up to 50 hectares from existing storage, as well as improving supplies to Bikita Rural Hospital.

The project which DFID labels Kufandada Irrigation and River Protection, "has environmental benefits by moving people out of the riparian zone. Additional climate resilience can be conferred through hydrometeorological monitoring and improved operation of existing storage. This project has been prioritized as part of transboundary plan by Mozambique," reads the website.

Bikita District Administrator, Innocent Matingwina confirmed the development. "The project is aimed at developing Bikita District in the farming sector and its targeting arable land which needs to be irrigated for the development of the community," said Matingwina.

Matingwina said the project is to improve food security particularly in view of the climate change that is causing serious droughts in Africa.

Chief Fine Mukanganwi whose area covers Ward 10 expressed his gratitude at the construction of the weir.

"We have been struggling to produce farm products because of water shortages but now that the weir is being constructed in our community I believe that we see a big upward movement," said Mukanganwi.

Mukanganwi said the project has received three tractors from Government and these will be used on the irrigation scheme.