farmer |
The Agriculture and
Rural Development Authority has earmarked a significant hectarage of
land for agriculture production using water drawn from Tokwe Mukosi
Dam.ARDA chairman Mr Basil Nyagandza said while plans were still in its
infancy, "Arda will be definitely earmarked for a significant
hectarage".
Two weeks ago, a
senior official with the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that the
Government would use ARDA to spearhead agriculture development in the
Lowveld and Masvingo areas following the completion of Tokwe Mukosi last
month.
"With the participation of private capital, there is scope to boost rural economic growth," said Mr Nyabadza yesterday.
ARDA has been using
the Public Private Partnership financing model to fund the revival of
most of its idle estates. In the past five years, the authority raised
utilisation of its estates from an average of 15 percent to around 75
percent, Mr Nyabadza said in a recent interview.
He said the
authority would look at developing plantations in the Lowveld and
Masvingo adding climatic condition were ideal for citrus, sugar cane and
pecanut production.
The completion of
Tokwe Mukosi dam, now the country's largest inland dam is expected to
spur economic boom not only in the host province, Masvingo, but the
whole nation.
Irrigation will be
the main economic value to be realised from the dam. At a yield of 364
000 megalitres per annum, the dam will have sufficient water to irrigate
up to 25 000 hectares.
While the main
economic value of the dam will be derived from its use for irrigation to
enhance cane production, the dam will also provide investment
opportunities in tourism, power generation and ethanol production with
potential to create thousands of jobs.
Both existing and
new irrigation schemes, mini hydropower plant, hospitality and
recreational facilities, a game park, fisheries and crocodile farms are
expected to be developed.
Some of the
overlapping benefits include the upgrading of the Buffalo Range Airport
as well as improvement in the livelihoods of the local communities
through creation of jobs. There would also be a broader participation of
the locals in the sugarcane farming.
Already, sugarcane growing and processing is the dominant economic activity in the Lowveld.
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