News / Regional
Silalatshani farmers expect good harvest this year
06 Mar 2015 at 10:32hrs | Views
Silalatshani Irrigation farmers in Insiza South are this year expecting a good harvest after the area received good rains this season and after the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) slashed their debt by more than 50%.
The slashing of their debt came after an appeal by farmers to the government to consider writing off the debt, which they argued accumulated prior to dollarisation in 2009.
The 853 farmers owed Zinwa $260 000 dating back to 2008 and the authority disconnected supplies. Zinwa's decision to cut water supplies severely affected the livelihoods of the rural farmers that depended on the irrigation scheme.
Chief Sibasa of Filabusi, under whose jurisdiction the Silalatshani Irrigation Scheme falls has indicated that from last year when the rain season started farmers have never experienced water problems and their crops were doing well such that they will have a good harvest this year.
"Our first maize crops are now maturely drying," he said. "This year we will get a better harvest."
Silalatshani Irrigation farmers had been experiencing serious problems of water for their crops as the Zinwa was continuously disconnecting them due to an accumulative debt. Also poor rain fall worsened the problem prompting farmers to continue to get poor harvest.
But this year Sibasa said the rains that started falling in November last year assisted them a lot to have their crops grow and even Zinwa was no longer disconnecting water to the farmers.
After the slash of the debt the farmers were left with only $81 000 to clear which Sibasa said they were still struggling to clear.
The government had scrapped off $179 000 from the total debt of $260 000..
Zinwa used to charge each farmer $25 per month for water usage.
The irrigation scheme spans about 360 hectares that accommodate 853 farmers in its eight sections. The irrigation scheme gets its water from Silalatshani Dam, which also supplies JZ Moyo High School, Colleen Bawn and Ekusileni Mission.
The dam is currently close to 100% full.
The slashing of their debt came after an appeal by farmers to the government to consider writing off the debt, which they argued accumulated prior to dollarisation in 2009.
The 853 farmers owed Zinwa $260 000 dating back to 2008 and the authority disconnected supplies. Zinwa's decision to cut water supplies severely affected the livelihoods of the rural farmers that depended on the irrigation scheme.
Chief Sibasa of Filabusi, under whose jurisdiction the Silalatshani Irrigation Scheme falls has indicated that from last year when the rain season started farmers have never experienced water problems and their crops were doing well such that they will have a good harvest this year.
"Our first maize crops are now maturely drying," he said. "This year we will get a better harvest."
Silalatshani Irrigation farmers had been experiencing serious problems of water for their crops as the Zinwa was continuously disconnecting them due to an accumulative debt. Also poor rain fall worsened the problem prompting farmers to continue to get poor harvest.
But this year Sibasa said the rains that started falling in November last year assisted them a lot to have their crops grow and even Zinwa was no longer disconnecting water to the farmers.
After the slash of the debt the farmers were left with only $81 000 to clear which Sibasa said they were still struggling to clear.
The government had scrapped off $179 000 from the total debt of $260 000..
Zinwa used to charge each farmer $25 per month for water usage.
The irrigation scheme spans about 360 hectares that accommodate 853 farmers in its eight sections. The irrigation scheme gets its water from Silalatshani Dam, which also supplies JZ Moyo High School, Colleen Bawn and Ekusileni Mission.
The dam is currently close to 100% full.
Source - Byo24News
