Mr Cliff Makamba of Bikita East is among the farmers defying the odds by venturing into wheat production through a gravity-fed surface irrigation system.
Drawing water from a river more than two kilometres away, Mr Makamba is expecting around seven tonnes of wheat this winter season and has managed to sustain his family through agricultural projects.
“We are blessed to stay around this mountainous area, hence, we have many rivers around. We decided to draw water from a nearby river, which is about 2.5 kilometers away, hence, we connected pipes there. Since then, we have been growing crops all year round, and right now we have wheat on our 1.4-hectare piece of land. We are expecting a good harvest, and the government has been supporting us,” he said.
Realising their potential, Mr Makamba and 90 other farmers around the area formed Chitiyo Cooperative, and currently they have nearly 60 hectares of wheat and horticulture produce.
“We decided to work as a team, helping each other, hence, we formed the Chitiyo Cooperative. This season, we have winter wheat and other horticultural products like leaf vegetables, tomatoes, and beans. We have been receiving support from the government, especially inputs and technical support from agriculture extension workers,” Chitiyo Cooperative Chairperson, Mr Tandani Mhuka noted.
Speaking after meeting with Chitiyo Cooperative members at Mr Makamba’s homestead, Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) Acting Chief Director, Mr Leonard Munamati, said collective efforts by Bikita farmers show the potential of communal farming in achieving food security.
“What we have seen here in Bikita District shows the potential that our communal farmers have in contributing towards national food security. Their wheat is looking good, and the long-term solution is to ensure modernised irrigation infrastructure. Generally, at the national level, our wheat is looking good, and we are optimistic of a good harvest this winter season,” Mr Munamati added.
The country is optimistic of meeting its national wheat target of 600 000 metric tonnes.
