Before the scheme was established, she used to walk 14km to areas such as Ndamera and Nyamakudya to barter trade her manual labour for food to feed her family. Even vegetables were regarded as a luxury in her community. But today, Mtisi grows surplus green mealies and vegetables for sale, thanks to the World Food Programme and International Organisation for Migration.
Hers is one of the 260 households resettled by these organisations at Masocha Chisingaurwi after being evicted from Gwenzi small-scale farming community two years ago.
IOM helped with construction of decent houses on the land donated by government, but shortage of food remained a cause for concern. The project is part of WFP`s shift from its tradition of dishing out food to hungry villagers to making communities self-reliant.
The irrigation uses gravity to move water from the weir via a 300mm pipe to the canal. The weir is 24 metres wide and 55 metres in length and helps to trap sand from entering the canal.
Mtisi said the irrigation scheme had restored the dignity of local women as they can now work without being subjected to any form of ill treatment.
WFP Public Information Unit officer, Tomson Phiri, said the irrigation scheme was part of a broad based strategy to restore food security in areas hit hard by persistent droughts.
“We have introduced such schemes in 21 districts as a way to restore food security. We want farmers to be self-reliant,” said Phiri.
IOM Head of Mutare Sub Office responsible for Manicaland programmes, Gideon Madera, said IOM provided technical and resource material while WFP supported with food component from the commencement of the project in May to its completion in November 2011. Germany Agro designed the project. Villagers assisted with labour.
“Continuous food ration supply by WFP made sure that there was full participation by all villagers. The project took one and half years to complete because it was labour intensive. All the partners played a pivotal role in making sure that the project came to its fruition,” he said.
A local village head, Ngoni Mtisi (78) said he was happy because there was great change from the way people use to live.
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Commendable work, I think. However, its always important to state the province and district where such important events happen. We may need to go and learn from the ground.