In 2011, the Mutasa Manunure Irrigation Scheme joined World Food Programme’s Food for Assets programme. Community members were given food in exchange for their work on the irrigation system.
“The group could focus and work in a dedicated way because they didn’t need to go looking for food,” said Titus Mafemba, a food aid manager for WFP’s implementing partner, Plan International.
Having finished the first phase in April 2012, the group began cultivating a variety of crops.
“Because of the reliable water supply and training, farmers are guaranteed a minimum of three crops per year on the same piece of land,” Mafemba said.
Group Secretary Nhamo Mhasho said prior to 2010, his family’s diet consisted of sadza and green leafy vegetables. Today they enjoy carrots, cucumber, cabbage and even meat or fish.
“Before, I would slaughter a chicken every three to six months for my family but now I can buy meat or fish once a week,” he explains. “I can also afford to take my children to health clinics when they’re sick.”
The group has plans to build a cold room to stock their produce and a trading shed from which to sell it to wholesalers, traders and supermarkets. – WFP
Post published in: Agriculture
In Chundu CA of Hurungwe district of Zimbabwe communal people have secured a small fund to set up horticulture projects as part of livelihoods project in the araea. But the people need additional funds to sink boreholes for irrirgation to support these projects. Could you please help us get the help of WFP in this regard. Contact me on mashluis@gmail.com Tel: +44760536225. If this can be replicated in many communal araes then hunger can easily be a thing of the past. I commend this work already accomplished in Mutare