By Tovin Ngombe:-
The African Development Bank (ADB) has said there is a possibility of extending the Small Scale Irrigation project (SSIP) in Sinazongwe district.
ADB Senior Agriculture economist Dr Walter Odhiambo, who was also the delegation leader, said when he paid a courtesy on the District Commissioner (DC) that the project would be increased for one to two years.
The doctor said the extension of the project would facilitate the completion of the three irrigation Schemes at Chief Sinazongwe palace, Zenga and at Simumpande.
Dr Odhiambo said the purpose of the visit to the earmarked site for irrigation Schemes was to assess the implementation of the project and recommend for the extension.
“We are still working on the other Schemes but there is the possibility of increasing the project to one or two years to ensure the project was completed,†he said.
Sinazongwe District Senior Agriculture officer (SAO) Tundu Kaonga said farmers at Buleya Malima irrigation Scheme need a third intake where they could have water through out the year.
Kaonga noted that the existing two water intakes at the Scheme were not reliable because at times water levels receded to about three kilometers away from the intake points.
“The two water intakes in place were not enough because water recedes to a point where they can not have enough water through out the year,†Kaonga said.
Speaking on behalf of the DC, District Administration officer Sokoloko Daka said Sinazongwe was a drought prone area and it was prudent for the Bank to take keen interest in uplifting the living standards of the people.
However, in February this year Chief Sinazongwe expressed disappointment at the slow pace at which irrigation Schemes earmarked to be belt in the district have taken too long to be completed.
The Chief told the SSIP steering committee that paid a courtesy call on him that people were fed up and they should not be surprised if his subjects abandon it.
He said farmers have even started forming other cooperatives because they have waited for fours year without any tangible results on the ground.
“You should not be surprised if people abandon the project they have waited for too long and they are already fed up,†the Chief said.
Zambia hosts about 40% of the water resource within SADC. Yet we read from time to time how the country is failling to feed itself because of drought. What drought. One has just to look in the direction of Botswana and Namibia (both very dry countries) to see real drought. And yet those countries are managing their food security very well.
Therefore the irrigation scheme started in Sinazingwe is commendable. But if only it can see day light!
Its really encouraging to hear about the Irrigation projects, because what i have learnt in countries like Cuba is that agriculture is not all about the rains, here these guys have very big sugarcane, bananas and other plantations totally dependat on irrigation yet they dont have big water resourses like zambia, to them rain is just an added advantage, I guess its time zambia learnt more from that and embarked on major irrigation projects not only those in Sinazongwe.
This is a mockery. This project was approved a long time ago and the funding from AfDB should have started trickling in way back in 2001. It is surprising that it is coming to an end before any tangible thing can be shown that Zambia borrowed a large sum of money from the African Developemnt Bank. Where did all the money go that we should now be talking about extnsion of the project. In as far as I am concerned, the project has not even started.Go to Sinazongwe and check if there is anything on the ground on the irrigation schemes that were meant to be constructed. The only thing the project did was to rehabilitate Buleya Malima irrigation scheme. It has failed to construct Zenga, Simumpande irrigation schemes in sinazongwe,Magoye irrigation scheme in Mazabuka and Kanakantampa irrigation scheme in Chongwe. If they failed to do this over a period of 5 years do you think they can be able to do it within a one year extension period. Please authorities assist. We will be paying back a deb.
Continue from previuos: we will be paying back a debt to AfDB that had no any application and imlpication on the Zambian soil. What is this? Are we not still in the Chiluba boat with such kind of retrogressive financial and social dispensations? Please authorities, I beg you to investigate this matter and at least ensure that something is on the ground.I agree with Honourable Chief Sionazongwe. His subjects are fed up. You don’t go to rural people and promise them something which can uplift their livelihoods and disappear but only to go there again 5 years later when the project is ending. Who is going to welcome you. And who is going to work with you. Just know that they have lost confidence in you. Poor planning. Shame. And who do you think is going to pay back that loan to AfDB.A loan that never produced any results. If you are arguing, I would simply ask you to take me to where you constructed at least even one irrigation scheme.No where! Viva Chief Sinazongwe.