Mnangagwa launches desilting programme

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has launched the national dams desilting programme amid assurances that the country will attain a food secure position within the next four seasons.

The desilting programme, which was launched today at Dongaronga dam in the Musengezi resettlement area in Chegutu East, will see 3000 dams desilted nationwide, with Mashonaland West province set to desilt 100 water weirs.

Launching the programme, Mnangagwa said the project is a sustainable hunger mitigation approach, which will allow communities to resort to irrigation during dry spells.

He also announced an ambitious programme by the government to support 2000 farmers nationally, who will each be mandated to put 200 hectares of land under grain with a target output of 5 tonnes per hectare.

Environment, Water and Climate Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri called on communities to adopt strategies that can save water bodies from siltation, while Minister Faber Chidarikire expressed Mashonaland West's readiness to support the desilting exercise.

Mechanised equipment is being used to desilt the dams while communities are chipping in with manual labour under the food for work programme.